Transcripts For BBCNEWS BBC News At Six 20161222

Of the dark days of the 1930s. And the words of a child who moved thousands we speak to seven year old bana who took to social media to describe the bombing of aleppo. Coming up in the sport on bbc news. After one win in 11, palace give alan pardew the christmas sack. Sam alla rdyce is favourite to replace him at selhurst park. Good evening and welcome to the bbc news at six. The owner of a Haulage Company and his mechanic have been found guilty of the manslaughter of four people, who died when a tipper lorry ploughed into them in bath. The court heard that the vehicle had been poorly maintained on the day of the crash its brakes failed. The driver, philip potter, who had onlyjust started working for the firm, was cleared of the charges he faced including causing death by dangerous driving. Three men and a four Year Old Girl died in the crash in february last year. Jon kay is at Bristol Crown court. Jon . Jon . George, the court heard that this truck was in such a bad state that the crash was predictable, it was preventable, it was an Accident Waiting to happen. The prosecution said of the company had done the right checks, looked at the brakes, done that paperwork, not cut corners, the four victims could still be alive today. Police said it was carnage, a 32 tonne truck, with defective brakes, had careered down a steep hill towards a city centre. Four year old mitzi steady didnt stand a chance, hit while she was crossing the road with her grandma. Then the truck crushed this car, killing the men inside. Robert parker and philip allen were heading back to south wales from a business trip. Their driver, stephen vaughan, was 3a years old and newly married. Its just been a horrendous time, i wouldnt wish it on anybody. Sian vaughan told me that being widowed, so soon after her wedding day, had left her heartbroken. The future that we had together has just all been taken away. We were only married for six months and especially having to spend your first wedding anniversary alone was just so far removed from the one that we had planned. Its just been absolutely horrendous. Today, the boss of grittenham haulage, matthew gordon, and mechanic, peter wood, were both found guilty of manslaughter. The trial heard the company was a shambles, failing to carry out proper safety checks. The jury was told that as the tipper truck came down the hill that afternoon, its brakes were badly worn, rusty and in a poor state of repair. Matthew gordon had no transport manager and effectively flouted every regulation laid down to ensure safety. Peter wood signed off vehicles as safe when clearly they were not. Many of the faults at the time of this crash were longstanding. Phillip potter, who was at the wheel of the tipper truck was found not guilty of causing death by careless or dangerous driving. Theyre constantly in my thoughts. He left court sending his sympathy to the bereaved families. He told the jury he hadnt realised the truck was in such a poor state. This one is for mitzi because when it is blooming, it comes out pink. Before the trial, he told bbc news hed planted trees on the family farm in memory of the victims. Its like you press replay in your head every night and you close your eyes and you just see it and you think there was nothing else i could have done that day to have prevented it. Just thinking of the four people all the time, just thinking how horrible it must be for the families. Just how hard it would be to lose someone that you love so much. Phillip potter told the trial that as he sat here that afternoon, trying to take in what had just happened, his boss, matthew gordon, came over to him, grabbed him and said, dont tell the police about the brake warning light. This was all very much preventable. Theyve denied us of a family. Sian vaughan says shes been horrified to hear in court about the state of the truck, especially as her chauffeur husband took safety so seriously. A word he would have used to describe them would have been cowboys because theres no way that steve would ever have put anybodys life in danger, let alone his own. The families hope matthew gordons conviction will send a clear message to the owners of all haulage companies. He and peter wood were remanded in custody to be sentenced in the new year. All the bereaved families have issued statements this afternoon paying tribute to those they lost. A family of little mitzi steady said in their statement that these four year old was coming into her own, she was growing in confidence before her life was suddenly cut so short. They now face a second christmas about her. George. Jon, thank you very much. They now face a second christmas without her. German police say they now believe its likely their main suspect anis amri did drive the lorry that ploughed through a Christmas Market on monday killing twelve people and injuring 49. His fingerprints have been found in the cab. Speaking at the family home in tunisia, amris brother called on him to give himself up. This afternoon Angela Merkel said germany had known for a long time that it was a target for islamist terrorists. Our correspondent Damian Grammaticas is in berlin. George, this is a significant development. Yesterday the police had said they were searching for the 24 year old tunisian anis amri because theyve found Identity Documents of his in the cab of the lorry that drove through the market. Behind me today they say investigations of the lorry have convinced them it is likely he was the man driving it. Of course he remains on the run, tonight, armed and dangerous. This is anis amri, the man European Police are hunting, filming himself humming Nonchala Ntly police are hunting, filming himself Humming Nonchalantly in berlin, video posted to his Facebook Page in september. Another 24 year old tunisian is europes most wanted man. Police are now sure that he was the driver of the lorry that ploughed through the Christmas Market, his fingerprints been found on the Steering Wheel and the door. Angela merkel today thanked germans for their measured reaction to the attack. Translation our thoughts are constantly with the relatives of the victims and the injured, we owe it to them to give this our very best. I can say that weve done a lot in recent years to meet the challenge of terrorism. Police raids in germany earlier today targeted known contacts of anis amri, turning up known contacts of anis amri, turning up nothing. His family in tunisia last saw him five years ago. They say that he was not religious, he drank alcohol and dreamt of owning a carand drank alcohol and dreamt of owning a car and starting a business. Translation and my brother is listening i want to tell him to surrenderfor listening i want to tell him to surrender for the listening i want to tell him to surrenderfor the Sake Listening i want to tell him to surrender for the sake of our family. We will be relieved. If he did what he is suspected of having done he will be sanctioned and it will be a dishonour for us. Done he will be sanctioned and it will be a dishonourfor us. I am sure my brother is innocent. Anis amri left his family and travelled in the league to italy in 2011, spent four years injailfor violence and theft but without a passport could not be deported so last year he moved to germany, a game, he was not deported, it was feared he was trying to get weapons foran feared he was trying to get weapons for an attack but with no new evidence surveillance of him was halted in september. There are serious questions, should the authorities have taken the threat posed by anis amri more seriously . Most germans, as the markets reopen with the security barriers, criticisms of the police are less important than how they respond. So getting the market back up and Running Today was symbolic for berlin. We have to respond to the terrorism. But we dont care, we are going to open, we are not scared, because that is exactly what they want. The crowds were thinner than usual but wanted to show that they would not be cowed. I can to show we must not hide, says rosemary, i am sad, i was here on monday, luckily i left before it happened. I feel anger and sadness, more anger, says anneka. I did not know any of the victims but it makes me really angry. Not so much fear as defiance. The people of perlin determined to show they will not give up the things they value and enjoy. Damian grammaticas, berlin. With me is our security correspondent frank gardner. Is itfairto is it fair to say the German Authorities missed some opportunities to stop this attack . They did. He was someone on their radar but there are parallels to the way that m15 missed the ringleader of the 7 7 bombers, Mohammed Siddique khan. Because this was someone siddique khan. Because this was someone that they knew had islamist tendencies, he was on the edge of a circle, they followed him for six months but could not find anything really incriminating, they filmed him dealing drugs in a park and getting into a brawl but nothing relating to terrorism, so they moved on. The problem with watching people, putting them under surveillance is that it is intensely labour intensive, it can take 18 to 30 people watching somebody 24 7, you have to have translators, decoders, people to change shifts and he was simply not a priority so they moved on, dropped him and in they moved on, dropped him and in the end it was a mistake. Thank you, frank. The queen and the duke of edinburgh have made their trip to sandringham for christmas after delaying it because they both had heavy colds. A helicopter arrived at Buckingham Palace to take them to norfolk around lunchtime today. Both had been scheduled to travel by train yesterday, but plans were changed at the last minute. The palace confirmed their departure, but wouldnt comment on their health. Prince charles has warned against religious intolerance, saying it was reminiscent of what he called the dark days of the 1930s. The prince of wales was speaking on thought for the day, on bbc radio 4s today programme. He also warned about aggression towards minorities from Populist Groups Across The World. Heres our royal correspondent nicholas witchell. The situation on the grounds of religion is as old as faith itself and it is still happening today persecution. A Coptic 0rthodox Church blown up in cairo. Christians in iraq and syria kidnapped or driven from their homes. Attacks on yazidis and jewish people and others. Tolerance between the faiths and Freedom Of Worship are important to the prince of wales. He recently attended the consecration of the new sillier 0rthodox cathedral in west london. He is troubled by the growing evidence of religious intolerance. Normally at christmas we think of the birth. His sta rkest we think of the birth. His starkest warning yet in a pre recorded broadcast for thought for the day on bbc radio 4 he likened the persecution of christians in iraq to what happened to the Jews Christians in iraq to what happened to thejews in nazi germany. Christians in iraq to what happened to the jews in nazi germany. We have seen to the jews in nazi germany. We have seen the rise of Populist Groups Across The World who are increasingly aggressive towards those who adhere to a minority faith. All of this has deeply disturbing echoes of the dark days of the 1930s. I was born in 19118, just after the end of world war ii, in which my parentss generation had fought and died in a battle against intolerance, monstrous extremism and an inhuman attempt to exterminate the Jewish Population an inhuman attempt to exterminate theJewish Population of europe. That nearly 70 years later we should still see such evil persecution is, to me, beyond all belief. The world was witnessing what the prince called insidious forms of extremism, seeking to eliminate really adversity. He ended his broadcast with a plea for tolerance. Whichever religious path we follow, the destination is the same. To value and respect the other person, accepting their right to live out their peaceful response to the love of god. In due course, when he is king and supreme governor of the church of england, charles knows that his freedom to speak out will be constrained but for now, and on subjects like this, he feels he has a duty to try to make his voice heard. Nicholas witchel, bbc news, at clarence house. The time is nearly 6. 15pm. Our top story this evening. Killed by a truck that was out of control the four victims of a Road Haulage Boss and his mechanic, who have been found guilty of manslaughter. And still to come the remarkable story of alex lewis who lost all his limbs to an illness which started with what he thought was a cold. Coming up on sportsday in the next 15 minutes on bbc news tottenham tie down another of their top players at the club. Captain hugo lloris commits his future to spurs until 2022. The red cross in syria says the operation to help people leave the remaining rebel held parts of aleppo is close to finishing. One of those who managed to leave is seven year old bana alabed, whose messages on social media captured everything from the death of friends to her familys attempt to live a normal life. 0ur correspondent, 0rla guerin, has been to meet bana and her mother. Hello, i am bana, im seven years old, i am from aleppo. From the rubble of aleppo to the red carpet in ankara, bana alabed and herfamily are now being hosted by the turkish government, which opposes the syrian regime. When we met, this child of war told me how her own home was flattened by a bomb. Translation we were playing happily and planning to go out and suddenly it landed. So, we got scared and ran to the basement. When our house was bombed, we got out of the rubble safely, but we were about to die because the house was collapsing. From inside aleppo, her message echoed around the world, with help from her mother, who manages her twitter account. But some have questioned whose views were being shared. When your mum was tweeting, was she tweeting your words or tweeting her words . Me and mum. Together . Yes. Her mother, fatima, insists the twitter account was banas idea, but admits it is a way to combat the regime. I think there now was a big fight out there. I think our words was a weapon. Your twitter was a weapon . Yes. But the tweets attracted threats and made it harderfor the family to join the Mass Evacuation of eastern aleppo. Fatima got bana on to one of the buses, disguised as a boy. Today, even the fighters are openly leaving their former stronghold, but bad weather is slowing the last of the departures. Just days after leaving, bana is already missing her old home. Translation i was happy to leave but sad at the same time. I wish i could go back to aleppo, go back home. I want to live in my house, because i love it, even if it had been bombed. I love my house. Before saying goodbye, bana sang us a song about childhood and stolen freedoms. I am a child with something to say. 0ne voice, raised for countless others, who often go unheard. 0rla guerin, bbc news, ankara. Donald trump has taken to twitter again this time the President Elect said the United States must greatly strengthen and expand its nuclear capability. Lets cross to washington and speak to our correspondent laura bicker. Laura, if he follow up on this, it would mean a massive change to us policy . This is Notjust A Radical Departure from president 0bamas administration, it is a radical Departure Dating back to george w bush. Mr trump tweeted he wanted to dramatically strengthen the United States Nuclear Capabilities until such time as the world come to its senses. The tweet echos the comments of Vladimir Putin who said earlier today that he also wanted to increase his countrys Nuclear Capabilities and develop new nuclear missiles. As for mr trumps plans, well apart from that 1a0 character tweet we have few details. He has hinted he may want it use Nuclear Weapons as a last resort against enemies such as the so called Islamic State and in 29 days, it will be his finger on the nuclear code and he will be behind the Nuclear Defence policy. All right, laura, thank you. Prison officers have rejected a pay deal offered to them by the Ministry Ofjustice. The Prison Officers Association had recommended the proposed agreement, which would have allowed Prison Officers to retire at 65 but members voted against it by two to one. The Ministry Ofjustice said justice secretary, liz truss, intends to meet with Union Leaders in the new year. Six months ago the uk went to the polls in the Eu Referendum and voted for brexit. Wales, unlike the other nations in the uk, gets more money back from the eu than it pays in but still voted to leave. As part of our series reflecting on the impact of the referendum, our wales correspondent, sian lloyd, has taken a journey across south wales. The train from cardiff is approaching the end of the line and the former steel down of ebbw vale. European Union Funding paid to re open this railway to passengers. It was part of a plan to regenerate the south wales valleys. Millions of pounds of eu funding have been invested here but in the county of blaenau gwent, there was an overwhelming vote to leave the eu by the biggest margin in wales. Its taken so much longer than i thought it would be. I thought once i voted leave that would be it, theyd start changing things, but they didnt. Sports centres, schools, colleges and i know it was massively funded by the European Union, so, i was disappointed because i realised that now we might have to fight to get this money for areas like ebbw vale. The Welsh Government is still looking to be the European Union to help boost the fortunes of these former industrial towns. A metro system that would Better Connect 1. 5 Million People is one of its flagship policies. Just this month, the first minister, carwynjones, visited brussels, before time runs out. But according to this Public Policy expert, many People Living in communities like this, havent felt the benefit of the eu capital scheme. In a lot of cases weve had more of the same. So weve had a new road, but there was already a road. Weve had a new college, but actually there was already a college. So the kind of Transformational Effect that wed like to have seen, just hasnt happened. But the Welsh Government says eu Structural Funds has been crucial in supporting growth. Between 2000 and 2013, £3. 3 billion was allocated to wales. A further £1. 9 billion was due to be spent here between 2014 and 2020. The uk government has given assurances that it will bridge any funding gap. Getting on board for a future outside the European Union is what those in the Business Community are now focussing on. We need to see delivering on measures such as the m4 relief road, the electrification of the valleys line. We are looking at big investment in infrastructure and energy. Lets go on and deliver those and that will create business opportunities. Cardiff is the final destination for these passengers the city that gets the lions share of investment in wales. The Welsh Capital voted to stay in europe. Its many of those who Travel Into The Centre every day who delivered the result injune. They wanted change but the route to realising their ambition, and the future itll create, is still uncertain. Sian lloyd, bbc news. Three years ago alex lewis thought hejust had a common cold. But in fact it was something much worse, he collapsed and was taken to hospital. Doctors diagnosed a strep a infection, which then developed into blood poisoning. It led to the loss of all of his limbs. For many, looking for a job in such circumstances might be unthinkable but this week alex defied the odds and returned to work. Duncan kennedy has been to hampshire to hear his remarkable story. Precious moments with the family that kept and keep alex lewis going. A man whose body was devoured by flesh consuming bacteria. Theres nothing we could have done. Nothing at all and i think in some respects thats better. Ive got no blame. You know, no one tried to blow me up in war, or any sort of conflict. It was just a bit of bad luck. Alexs bad luck, as he puts it, started in 2013 when he went from this, to this, after a cold became a strep a infection, which led to sepis blood poisoning. For his partner, lucy, seeing his mouth and nose disintegrate and his arms and legs amputated, was devastating. I couldnt go into the room and see him after it. I found it really difficult to go in and see. I could deal with the legs, i could deal with legs. I couldntjust deal with the arms very well. Alex began three Gruelling Yea Rs of recovery. Frustration and setbacks. It all looked so bleak. But during his 20 operations, alex always kept one goal in mind to go back to work. And this week, he did. What sort of feeling does that bring, being back at work . It shows that you can get out, you can go back to work. Youre not resigned to being stuck at home because you are missing your arms and legs. Alex has become an interior designer. He tested his ideas in this restaurant but now hes won a contract to do several more. All with the imagination he never knew he had. Psychologically it is a huge lift. If we can get through the previous three years, like we have done, going back to work and creating a new business, is the topping a new business, is the topping on the cake, really, the icing on the cake. Come on, back on the sofa. Alex will base himself at home, and make site visits with the help of his clients. Its been a very long journey. But just listen to how he sums it all up. They have been the best three years of my life, i think, because i wasnt making the most of the life that i had prior to falling ill. I think falling ill made me realise what i had. People watching this may use words like hope, courage, inspiration, what is your message to come out of all this . It means that i can move on and hopefully live an extraordinary life in a different body. Alex lewis, partner, father, worker. Duncan kennedy, bbc news. Three days until christmas, lets see what the weather will be doing. Darren . Not great news for anyone travelling. This area, the cloud here is our second named storm of the season, storm barbara, which is hurtling towards the uk. Ahead of it we had a winter chill today and some more snow in scotland but the showers in the north are becoming fewer and less wintry overnight. We have clear skies across much of england and wales for a while, so itll turn quite chilly. 0ne england and wales for a while, so itll turn quite chilly. One or two mist and fog patches, perhaps. But the wind will strengthen later. This rain in the north west is the first sign of this storm thats heading our way. So, it sign of this storm thats heading ourway. So, it is sign of this storm thats heading our way. So, it is a deep area of low pressure. Itll run to the north of scotla nd low pressure. Itll run to the north of scotland but bring some very windy weather across the board. Heavy rain on that Weather Front as well. It gets windy, wet and quickly in the morning, in scotland and Northern Ireland and that squally rain and winds just pushes into Western Parts of england and wales during the afternoon, towards east anglia and the south east it may well stay dry until late in the day. Behind that band of heavy rain, where we get showers in scotland and Northern Ireland later on in the afternoon. It is later in the day, into the evening that the winds ratch up a notch or two or the north and north west of scotland. Gusts of 80, possibly 90 miles per hour. It is because of that that we have an amber, be prepared wind warning. As the centre of the storm, Barbara Ru Ns The Centre of the storm, barbara runs away tomorrow night so the winds will ease but tell have strong winds for a while across the north and even on Christmas Eve well have some blustery winds, blustery showers blowing across northern areas, snow over the hills in scotland. Brighter, breezy further south. Increasing cloud and rain coming into the north west later, in time for Christmas Day which looks like it will be mild. Temperatures could be close to record levels but itll also be very windy. Really gusty winds for many parts of the country which could bring some disruption. Later on in the day on Christmas Day, as we get colder air the day on Christmas Day, as we get colderair in the day on Christmas Day, as we get colder air in scotland t could eventually be a white christmas. Thats all from the bbc news at six, so its goodbye from me, and on bbc one we nowjoin the bbcs news teams where you are. Hello. This is bbc news. The headlines fingerprints of the suspect anis amri, have been found on the door of the lorry used in the berlin Christmas Market attack. Chancellor Angela Merkel says shes hopeful an arrest will be made soon, and shes proud of the way her country has responded to the attack. I must say, over at the last few days i have been very proud of the composure shown by people. And also the officers that have weaned at work here. Two men have been found guilty of manslaughter, after a tipper truck crashed last year in bath, killing four people including a young girl. The International Committee of the red cross in syria says the operation to help people leave the remaining rebel held parts of aleppo is in its final stages. In a bbc radio 4 thought for the day broadcast, the prince of wales has warned of the growing danger of religious persecution comparing it to the dark days of the 1930s. In a moment it will be time for sportsday but first a look