BBC 04-01-2008 (UK)

10mph motorway driver given ban

Last Updated: Friday, 4 January 2008, 13:02 GMT
A woman has been banned from driving for seven days after she drove along a motorway at
speeds lower than 10mph.
Stephanie Cole, 58, of Fishponds, Bristol, repeatedly jammed on the brakes as she straddled the hard
shoulder and inside lane of the M32.
When police caught her there was a sign on the back of her car which read: "I do not drive fast, please
overtake."
Mrs Cole, who admitted driving without reasonable consideration, was also ordered to take another driving
test.
When officers stopped Mrs Cole, she told them she had "no confidence" on the motorway.
She was travelling from her home to a Staples stationery store when she was arrested by police on 30
August.
North Avon Magistrates' Court had previously heard Mrs Cole said her GP had been treating her for "fear of
driving" for the past three-and-a-half years.
Magistrates said they took into consideration the fact that Mrs Cole has multiple sclerosis.

What makes a modern hero?

Last Updated: Friday, 4 January 2008, 11:53 GMT
Scott and Shackleton were great heroes of the age of empire and exploration. But a new book
charting shifting attitudes towards them might help tell us how our view of heroes has changed.
Once upon a time Robert Falcon Scott was the epitome of a Boy's Own hero. Who could fail to be
mesmerised by the diaries of a man who, swept by blizzards and starving, was able to look death in the eye
and accept it with equanimity?
To take on a death-defying quest was admirable, but to die with dignity on such a quest was the mark of a
hero in early 20th Century Britain. Despite Scott's apparent double failure, being pipped to the South Pole by
the Norwegian Roald Amundsen and the death of his men, there was something both poignant and glorious
about him.
But the past decades have not been kind to Scott. There have been vigorous attacks and defence of his
competence and planning. Should he have used dogs as his primary method of hauling sleds, should he have
done more to stop fuel tanks leaking, should he have opted for fur over manmade clothing?
On the other hand, while Scott has had his reputation attacked and defended, Sir Ernest Shackleton has
benefited from a new wave of lionisation. Television drama and exhibitions have attested to one of the most
extraordinary feats ever achieved by an explorer.
New generations have marvelled at Shackleton's reaction to the loss of his ship Endurance in the Antarctic
ice. His leading of his men to Elephant Island and his expedition with a small group over the sea to South
Georgia to get help is more than ever the stuff of legend.
Shackleton was feted at the time, adulated in south and north America and knighted back in Britain, but
now his star is in danger of eclipsing Scott's, says Stephanie Barczewski, author of Antarctic Destinies: Scott,
Shackleton, and the Changing Face of Heroism.
In her new book, Barczewski argues that two strands in modern popular culture in both Britain and America
make Shackleton the more popular hero. The first of these, she suggests, is the desire for macho heroes since
the 1980s, as a reaction against the economic and political uncertainty of the 1970s and a by-product of the
premium on strong leadership.
"Scott's image is much more of a tortured angst-ridden Victorian. But Shackleton is seen as a macho
physical type. He is seen as a better hero," Barczewski says.
The key thing in Shackleton's mythos for the modern adulator is that his men made it back alive. For the
post-Victorians, the death of Scott's party also had resonance. This was an era that liked to look for its heroes
among splendid chaps like Gordon of Khartoum who often died awful deaths defending the glory of the empire.
Culture of death
"There was this culture of death. People were much more eager to celebrate heroic death than survival.
After World War I so many people were dealing with the death of relatives and friends," says Barczewski.
Shackleton on the other hand has been taken up as a heroic man manager for the modern age. His
unflappability, ability to gauge the mood of his men, keep morale high and remain receptive to the ideas of his
subordinates make him a corporate hero, says Margaret Morrell, author of Shackleton's Way.
Morrell cites the account of the men who remained on Elephant Island cheerfully building "snow maidens"
despite not knowing whether they were going to live or die as evidence of the extraordinary trust and good
spirits Shackleton engendered in his men.
"He got through some incredible ordeals so successfully. One thing that resonates for people is they don't
want to be surrounded by yes men. Like Shackleton, they want to hear the unvarnished truth. He kept the lines
of communication open with his men always asking for their opinions and advice."
The second major shift in thinking on Shackleton has been in response to changing perceptions of class,
Barczewski says.
Put simply, Scott is seen as aloof and posh, a symbol of the empire, whereas Shackleton despite also
coming from the well-to-do is seen as more down to earth and adaptable for the modern era.
People's heroes
 21ST CENTURY HEROES
Workplace sociologist Cary
Cooper says today's trend for
honouring of 'ordinary' people
"Shackleton is this everyman, he is seen as a much more democratic
is a reaction against celebrity
and accessible figure," says Barczewski.
culture
The modern public look for people's heroes. Ordinary people doing
'We are in a celebrity age
extraordinary things. And they think they find what they are looking for
still. We feel guilty that we
more in Shackleton than Scott, Barczewski suggests.
don't really recognise heroes,
We have come a long way since the notion of heroism that prevailed at
recognising ordinary folk is a
the tail end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th. Then heroes
guilt response'
were easy to define. They were people like Gordon, upper class men with
In 2007 carers were also
stiff, and usually moustachioed, upper lips.
elevated to hero status as ITV
George MacDonald Fraser, in the Flashman books, parodied this love of
and the Sunday Times
the upper class, well mannered, death defying hero.
launched campaigns to help
In those days hero was a simple label, the adventure magazines of
young carers
schoolboys would have resounded with tales of men like Gordon,
But its not a label that sits
Livingstone, and Scott.
easily, says Alex Fox, of the
But by 2007 there is a feeling of change. As well as our re-evaluation of
Princess Royal Trust for Carers
long dead heroes like Shackleton and Scott by modern standards, a
'A lot would be very
different category of person is now feted. Baggage handler John Smeaton,
sceptical about being made
who tackled a would-be bomber at Glasgow Airport is more to the modern
into a hero - they see
taste.
themselves as doing
And 2007 was supposed to be the year of the people's hero. Gordon
something that is an
Brown published the book Everyday Heroes in July, his take on how to get
obligation¿ for someone in
society to respect volunteering and thereby volunteer more. The honours
their family they love'
system should not just be about the great and the good, he said, but about
the "ordinary" men and women who underpin the voluntary sector.
Now awards have gone to "ordinary" people. Edward Wilson was made MBE for three decades as a street
sweeper in London's West End. Anne Milner earned the same honour for her work as a traffic warden in
Cornwall. Dinner lady and school cleaner Dorothy Winner, a head teacher who had turned around a failing
school, was knighted.
It's not quite adulation to the level of making it on to a stamp or into a television drama, but it's certainly
recognition.

Crime scene clean up bill 'crazy'

Last Updated: Friday, 4 January 2008, 02:25 GMT
The families of murder victims should not have to pay for the crime scene to be cleaned up, an
MSP has said.
Lib Dem justice spokeswoman Margaret Smith said it could cost thousands of pounds to have a home
cleaned after the police investigation had ended.
She said the expense seemed "crazy" as it added to the agony of grieving relatives and called for a
government fund to be set up to meet the cost.
One woman had to wash her dead father's blood off his kitchen walls.
The Scottish Government said it was examining how to improve the
The blood was wall-
service.
to-wall, ceiling to floor.
About 20 to 30 families a year are currently left to pay for cleaning up
There wasn't an inch of
their home after a murder. The bill can include removing the dried blood of
the wall that wasn't
victims from furnishings, with costs ranging from £200 to £3,000.
covered in bloody
Among them was the family of a man beaten to death in his own kitchen
handprints
who were forced to wash his blood off the walls themselves because they
Carla McIntyre
could not afford to hire a professional cleaner.
Former policeman Michael Mosey, 57, from Lanark was bludgeoned to death with his own truncheon by
John Mackie, 33, in August 2006.
Mr Mosey's daughter Carla McIntyre, 29, said she and her relatives soon realised they were on their own.
Ms McIntyre said: "The blood was wall-to-wall, ceiling to floor. There wasn't an inch of the wall that wasn't
covered in bloody handprints.
"The smell was indescribable. It would catch you at the back of the throat.
"When I went down to scrub the floor I was crying. We were covered from head to toe. This wasn't just any
blood. This was my dad."
Ms Smith said the relatively small sums of money involved in setting up a government fund would be an
"affordable gesture that would make a huge difference to bereaved families at a difficult time".
The MSP added: "As well as coming to terms with their loss and attending to funeral arrangements, the
families of murder victims have the added ordeal of a court case and, quite often, media attention.
"It seems crazy to add to this burden by forcing families to pay for the cost of cleaning up the murder scene
if it occurs in their own home.
"I want the Scottish Government to consider my proposal to introduce a fund that would cover the cost of
cleaning up homes after murder."
The figures for families involved were supplied by Victim Support Scotland.
A spokesman for the voluntary organisation said the creation of a fund to cover "reasonable expenses" of
victims of crime who were not called to give evidence in court was at the heart of its Manifesto for Change
2007-2011.
 He added: "It is encouraging to see that a political party is recognising there's a problem here for victims of
very serious crime."
'Additional pressure'
The organisation said it knew of examples where parts of homes were sealed off as a crime scene in the
aftermath of murders.
But when families were allowed to return "evidence of the murder in form of blood, etc" was still obvious.
The spokesman added: "It creates a very serious additional pressure for victims.
"We would hope that the government would recognise that there's something that can be done here at not
a great capital cost."
A Scottish Government spokesman said it was providing about £41.5m this year to address a "range of
issues" affecting victims of crime.
He added: "We continue to examine how best to improve the services made available.
"A working group, established by the then Scottish Executive in 2003, to review support for families
bereaved by homicide, found that local authorities can recommend professional cleaning services, but would
only meet the cost where they own the property.
"The group recommended, however, that local authorities be encouraged, through Cosla, to revise their
current practice in relation to cleaning houses where a homicide had been committed."

Wales 'need skills not science'

Last Updated: Friday, 4 January 2008, 07:26 GMT
The Welsh Rugby Union has been criticised for appointing a man with no high-level rugby
experience to fill a key role within the national set-up.
Graeme Maw, a highly-regarded sports scientist, was named as Wales' first elite performance director on
Thursday.
The 43-year-old says his lack of rugby background is of no consequence.
But former Wales wing Adrian Hadley said the role should have been given to a "rugby man" familiar with
the needs and demands of international rugby.
Interview: Graeme Maw
Scrum V on the Radio: live & on demand 606: DEBATE
Hadley told BBC Wales Sport: "Do we need a sports scientist? As an Iron Man, Maw
"The elite performance director's role, as (WRU group chief executive) will be better equipped
Roger Lewis said, was the most important one that he was going to fill, and than most when the knives
surely you'd want a rugby man. come out
"I don't think it's fitness that's been letting us down in games - it's been Scrum V's Rick O'Shea
able to know when to pass, when to kick, when to play field position, when to keep the game tight and when to
close games out.
"There's no point our players being able to bench-press 200 kilograms and run a mile in two minutes if they
can't catch, pass and tackle."
Ex-Wales and Lions scrum-half Terry Holmes disagreed, saying that Maw's appointment could prove an
"inspired example of thinking outside the box".
Former Wales centre John Devereux echoed Hadley's view, saying the lack of quality in regional rugby over
the past year points towards the need for raising basic skills rather than fitness levels.
"Too many players at the top level are missing the basics," Devereux told BBC Radio Wales' Scrum V
programme.
"Players are shuffling across the field, they aren't running angles no more and certainly the passing skills
could be better.
"You would've thought they would be better because these boys are training twice a day most of the week
and working with all sort of coaches."
Maw arrives in Wales after leaving his position in October last year after five years as the British Triathlon
Association's performance director.
He was previously the high performance manager for swimming at the Queensland Academy of Sport in
Australia.
The Englishman will work alongside Nigel Davies, who has been tasked with identifying potential Test talent
in his new role as head of rugby development, in supporting national head coach Warren Gatland.
And Maw believes his lack of rugby knowledge will have no bearing on his ability to fulfil his task of creating
the best possible environment for elite players in Wales.
"My background is strongly in performance management and my track record is in performance
management," Maw told BBC Radio Wales' Scrum V programme.
"Systems and structures is what I'm in place to do. I'm absolutely delighted and fully confident in being part
of senior team with Nigel and Warren.
"They bring in enormous rugby background to complement my more strategic and scientific skills. I think
together we can really make an impact."
The WRU announced in March last year their intention to appoint an elite performance director (EPD), the
position mirroring that of Rob Andrew at the Rugby Football Union.
After the disappointing early exit from World Cup, the WRU said that the job was the most important to be
filled in the Welsh game.
 If you can't get the men
you wanted for the
position, why do you go
Lewis was keen to have the new man in place before a coach was named
for second best and
to replace Gareth Jenkins, who was sacked in September after the failure in
appoint two people?
France.
Former Wales winger
Former Wales fitness coach Andrew Hore was on the verge of taking the
Adrian Hadley
Wales job at the start of October, but negotiations broke down.
This was after former Wales coach Kevin Bowring decided against a return to remain as the RFU's head of
elite coach development.
Hore was surprisingly named EPD at Welsh region the Ospreys last month, and Hadley believes the WRU's
handing of whole recruitment process leaves a lot to be desired.
"I think the Union has fudged the whole thing," said Hadley.
606: DEBATE
"If you can't get the men you wanted for the position, why do you go for
Maw sounds a great
second best and appoint two people?"
appointment. It was
Lewis, though, says he is entirely convinced he has secured the right
important NOT to employ
men for the job and is satisfied they were appointed in the right manner.
someone who has grown
He also dismissed suggestions that the appointment of two men rather
up with Welsh Rugby.
than one represented a personal failure in his self-appointed task to find
HJ
one man to oversee the elite game in Wales.
"It became apparent early on after we started our review of the elite game in Wales that we needed this
double expertise here," said Lewis.
"We needed to sharpen the saw, which Graeme will give us, but we also needed that on-the-ground-
understanding expertise."

CBBC star questioned over death

Last Updated: Friday, 4 January 2008, 12:46 GMT
BBC children's presenter Mark Speight has been released on police bail after being arrested in
connection with a woman's death at a north London house.
Presenter Natasha Collins, believed to be Mr Speight's girlfriend, was reportedly found dead in the bath.
Mr Speight, who is the host of CBBC art show SMart, was arrested at the scene on Thursday.
Police said a man in his 40s had been bailed to return to a central London police station next month.
Officers were called to a house in north-west London at 1320 GMT on 3 January after reports of the sudden
death of a woman in her thirties.
A post mortem examination will be carried out later, but the death is being treated as "unexplained", a
police spokesman said.
Religious show
According to reports, Mr Speight and Ms Collins shared a house in the St Johns Wood area.
The couple appeared together on BBC children's programme See It Saw It.
Ms Collins was represented by the HandE casting agency, which paid tribute to the actress and model.
"We are shocked and devastated that Natasha has passed away and we offer our support and condolences
to her family and friends," it said in a statement.
"She was a wonderful, confident young lady and her beauty was inside and out."
Mr Speight, who was born and raised in Wolverhampton, has also appeared on the BBC's religious show
Heaven and Earth and ITV1's This Morning.
A spokesman for the BBC declined to comment on the arrest, while Mr Speight's agent was not available.
The BBC has cancelled Saturday morning's repeat edition of SMart on the CBBC channel.
A new series of the programme is not due until the end of the year.