Summary

  • Care home arsonist will serve a minimum of 27 years in prison

  • Marines sentenced for failing to stop game which inflicted 'gratuitous violence'

  • A teenage girl with mental health problems has described her "terrifying" experience of being cared for on an adult ward

  • Ministry of Justice statement on Nicky Reilly death

  • South West remembers Aberfan disaster

  • A South West rival to the Northern Powerhouse will be launched today in a drive to attract investment and create jobs

  • More sites on 'at risk' register in Devon and Cornwall

  • Updates on Friday 21 October 2016

  1. Our live coverage across the daypublished at 18:00

    Live updates for Devon and Cornwall have finished for the day, but we'll be back at 08:00 on Monday with the latest news, sport, travel and weather. 

    Don't forget Spotlight on BBC One later. There will also be news through the night and across the weekend on your BBC Local Radio station.

  2. 'Families are owed an apology' after teenager was 'was treated alongside terminally ill people'published at 17:54 BST 21 October 2016

    BBC Inside Out

    The head of Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust said "families are owed an apology" after a teenage girl with mental health problems was cared for on an adult ward.

    Sascha, 16, from west Cornwall, says she was treated alongside terminally ill people and patients with dementia.

    Hospital data

    The latest figures show that in September this year, 19 children from Cornwall who needed highly specialist psychiatric help were cared for out of the county.

    The number of children at Royal Cornwall Hospital's emergency department with mental health problems has risen from five in 2012 to 76 in the first six months of 2016.

  3. Ritual for new joiners designed to 'inflict gratuitous violence'published at 17:49 BST 21 October 2016

    Ben Chapple
    BBC News Online

    In giving four marines suspended sentences a judge has called their actions a "calculated course of conduct designed to inflict gratuitous violence on new joiners".

    Judge Advocate Robert Hill was referring to a hazing, or reefing, ritual at barracks in Bickleigh in 2008.

    Sgt Richard Melia, Sgt Ian Spence, Cpl Robert Wake and Cpl John Arnett all admitted the offences at 42 Commando barracks at Bickleigh in October 2008 and were given a four-month prison sentence suspended for a year.

    The judge added: "You failed, each of you, to stop it... with rank comes responsibility and in this case you failed to discharge your responsibility."

  4. Argyle's Rooney extends Truro City staypublished at 17:46 BST 21 October 2016

    Brent Pilnick
    BBC Sport

    Plymouth Argyle youngster Louis Rooney has extended his loan spell at Truro City until January.

    Louis RooneyImage source, Vaughan Pickhaver/Truro City FC

    The 20-year-old, who has played once for the Pilgrims, is a Northern Ireland Under 21 international. 

    "I'm really chuffed to bits that Argyle has allowed us to carry on and have Rooney on loan," Truro boss Lee Hodges told BBC Radio Cornwall. "Hopefully he'll do the business for us and then get back to Argyle."

  5. Marines were 'struck on bare backsides' in hazing ritualpublished at 17:11 BST 21 October 2016

    Ben Chapple
    BBC News Online

    Four marines have been given four-month prison sentences suspended for a year after a hazing ritual left other marines with bruises and cuts.

    Sgt Richard Melia, Sgt Ian Spence, Cpl Robert Wake and Cpl John Arnett all admitted the offences at 42 Commando barracks at Bickleigh in October 2008.

    Lt Col Victoria Phillips, prosecuting, told the court martial: "They were struck on bare backsides by an implement called Big Red.

    "Big Red... was a red plastic rubber gel wrist support ordinarily used for wrist support when using a computer keyboard."

  6. Weather: A cold night followed by a weekend of sunny spellspublished at 16:58 BST 21 October 2016

    BBC Weather

    It will be dry with clearing skies tonight, which will lead to a cold night with a touch of frost in sheltered spots.

    There will also be some patchy mist and fog forming in rural spots, especially around the Torridge Valley and Bodmin Moor. Minimum Temperature: 5C (41F).

    Weather map

    On Saturday mist and fog will once again lift slowly to leave a bright and dry day with sunny spells.

    It will feel cool in the north-easterly breeze. Maximum Temperature: 12C (54F).

    Sunday will be windy with sunny spells after a chilly start. Monday may see rain pushing north, but this should clear on Tuesday with some sunshine later.

  7. Marines sentenced over spanking ritualpublished at 16:48 BST 21 October 2016

    Four decorated marines are given suspended jail sentences for failing to stop assaults in a hazing ritual.

    Sign outside barracks at Bickleigh, Devon
  8. Nice afternoon for most after a misty startpublished at 16:36 BST 21 October 2016

    BBC Weather Watchers

    Devon photo
  9. Woman says dozens of bin bags left at her home because the bin lorry won't pick them uppublished at 16:19 BST 21 October 2016

    BBC Radio Devon

    A North Devon woman says she's livid that dozens of full bin bags are being left for collection outside her house every week, because the bin lorry won't pick them up from a new housing estate nearby.

    Sue Butland from Halwill Junction claims the new road on the estate hasn't been adopted by Devon County Council, so Torridge District Council won't collect the rubbish because their insurance won't cover them.

    She said: "Nobody seems to be taking responsibility or control of the issue or getting it sorted out."

    James Morrish, who's in charge of Waste and Recycling at Torridge, said: "If our vehicles were to go on there and there was a catastrophe of one shape or another, Torridge District Council taxpayers insurance would not cover that. 

    "That is a huge risk for us to take."

    But the county council says there's no reason why the bin lorry can't use the road.

  10. Slade returns for Exeter's trip to UIsterpublished at 16:00 BST 21 October 2016

    Brent Pilnick
    BBC Sport

    Exeter have made a number of changes in their key Champions Cup match at Ulster.

    Henry SladeImage source, Getty Images

    Henry Slade is recalled and rekindles his successful partnership at centre from last season with Ian Whitten as Sam Hill and Ollie Devoto drop out.

    James Short takes Whitten's place on the wing while Jack Yeandle comes in at hooker for the injured Luke Cowan-Dickie.

  11. 'Fire-obsessed' killer gets 14 life termspublished at 15:34 BST 21 October 2016

    A "fire-obsessed" care home worker who killed a 96-year-old resident by setting fire to her room is given 14 life sentences.

    Read More
  12. Police say family of Gladys Rowe 'conducted themselves with great dignity and courage'published at 15:14 BST 21 October 2016

    Det Insp Ben Beckerleg of Devon and Cornwall Police welcomed the sentencing of Karen Pedley, who will serve a minimum of 27 years in prison. 

    He said: “This has been an incredibly difficult time for Gladys Rowe’s family, and throughout the investigation of Mrs Rowe’s death and the subsequent trial they have conducted themselves with great dignity and courage.

    Serial arsonist Pedley was also convicted of starting a series of fires between 2002 and 2010, including the one which killed Mrs Rowe.

    Gladys Rowe

    Det Insp Beckerleg said: “Pedley’s conviction reveals the truth in relation to the cause of the fire at Rosewyn Care Home and fully vindicates the owners of any wrongdoing.

    “We are satisfied that Pedley has been found guilty of these additional arson offences, any of which could have had equally tragic results and which exposed innocent members of the public to great risk of harm.

    "The impact of these offences cannot be underestimated, including the damage to businesses and livelihoods that resulted.”

  13. Three swimmers given GB fundingpublished at 15:01 BST 21 October 2016

    Brent Pilnick
    BBC Sport

    Three swimmers from Plymouth Leander have been picked for British Swimming's squad for the next Olympic cycle through to Tokyo 2020.

    Ben ProudImage source, Getty Images

    British record-holder and Commonwealth Games champion Ben Proud, who was fourth in the 50m freestyle at Rio 2016, is named in the top-tier Podium squad.

    Laura Stephens and Tom Fannon have been selected for the Podium Potential squad.

  14. Nicky Reilly death: Ministry of Justice statementpublished at 14:44 BST 21 October 2016

    Claire Jones
    BBC News Online

    Nicky Reilly who injured himself with a home-made nail bomb when he tried to blow up a restaurant in Exeter died in prison on Wednesday.

    Reilly, then 22, carried three devices held in glass bottles into the Giraffe restaurant in Exeter in 2008.

    In a statement, the Ministry of Justice said "As with all deaths in custody there will be an independent investigation by the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman." 

    Nicky RImage source, .
  15. Marines sentenced for failing to stop game which inflicted 'gratuitous violence'published at 14:30 BST 21 October 2016
    Breaking

    Press Association

    Four decorated senior marines have escaped a jail sentence for failing to stop junior ranks "reefing" each other's bare backsides using a 2ft gel keyboard wrist support nicknamed "Big Red".

    Sergeants Richard Melia and Ian Spence and Corporals Robert Wake and John Arnett all pleaded guilty to four counts of failing to perform their public duty during celebrations of the Royal Marine Corp's 350th anniversary on October 28 2014.

    They were sentenced to a four-month prison sentence suspended for a year. 

    Wake and Melia were also punished to dismissal from the services while Spence and Arnett have already left the forces. Judge Advocate Robert Hill told the court martial at Portsmouth Naval Base that the behaviour was not a form of "character building, forming a strong spirit of camaraderie in an elite brotherhood of soldiers". 

    It took place at 42 Commando barracks at Bickleigh, near Plymouth, Devon.

  16. Police appeal after man hospitalised following crashpublished at 14:14 BST 21 October 2016

    Police are appealing for witnesses after a serious crash left one man in hospital.

    Officers were called to the A38 at Kennford yesterday after two vehicles had crashed.

    Both north and southbound carriageways were closed and a 54-year-old man from Cullompton was taken to Derriford Hospital where he has since been released.

    Police are appealing for witnesses, in particular, the driver of a red Audi A4 or A5 Saloon which stopped at the scene.

  17. Reward for heroism started 'fascination with fire'published at 14:07 BST 21 October 2016

    Waking up her family and saving them from a fire that gutted a house started a "fascination with fire" for a woman jailed for a minimum of 27 years.

    Karen Pedley, 43, from Carharrack, Cornwall, was found guilty of murder and 12 counts of arson at Truro Crown Court on Thursday.

    The court heard the fire in her family home when she was aged 10 led to her being praised and rewarded with a flight on Concorde.

    When police searched her home they found a file of newspaper cuttings recalling the fire and the trip.

    Newspaper clipping of Karen Pedley from file found at her homeImage source, Crown Prosecution Service
    Picture of Karen Pedley in front of Concorde from file found at her homeImage source, Crown Prosecution Service
  18. Latest travel in Devon and Cornwall: Slow traffic on the A3125published at 13:51 BST 21 October 2016

    BBC Travel

    Cornwall: Reports of an accident on Southgate Street near Albany Road South

    Devon: In Bickington there's slow traffic on the A3125 around Bickington Road, in the roadworks area

    Devon: On the A38 at Deep Lane there are temporary traffic lights for roadworks so expect delays