in temperatures of minus 25, the race for us president has officially begun in iowa.

is donald trump unstoppable? it's all about who comes second, because it appears donald trump can't be beaten by any of the other candidates. we're live in de moines, where in two and a half hours the first votes of this presidential cycle will be cast. and we've been taking the political temperature. donald trump is a felon. he brings chaos with him, he brings division. i agree with some of his policies, but as a person, i think he's a despicable human being and i'd like to be proud of my president again. we need a big change right now and

i'm behind _ we need a big change right now and i'm behind the— we need a big change right now and i'm behind the front _ we'll hear from a republican strategist and a spokesman for the trump campaign. also tonight — failed by both police and the council. girls groomd and raped by gangs of pakistani and afghan heritage men in rochdale were so badly let down by the authorities that 96 people are still deemed a potential risk to children in the town. how is it possible that not one senior police officer or council official has ever been held acountable? we'll speak to one of the whistle—blowers and a solicitor representing three of those who were abused as young teenagers. plus, fujitsu are due to give evidence at the post office public inquiry tomorrow. hundreds of ex—subpostmasters were wrongly convicted after the firm asserted their horizon it system was working properly. newsnight�*s seen a document sent to the government four years ago, urging ministers to look again at the presumption in courts that computers can't get things wrong. the full story in 20 minutes.

and the stakes are high this week for the prime minister and his rwanda bill. could some of his own mps really kill his latest plan to stop the boats — if he won't toughen it up? our political editor, nick watt, is here with the latest. good evening. republican supporters in the us state of iowa will attend meetings over the next few hours known as caucuses to vote for the candidate they want to represent the party in this year's us presidential election. can any other contestant stop donald trump? back in 2016, mr trump lost the iowa caucus to ted cruz, remember. he then went on to win the republican nomination and the white house that year, astounding many. mrtrump campaigned as the the outsider back then, and he appears to be using the 91 criminal charges he now faces as proof that he still is. what is true is that as those charges have racked up, he appears to have become stronger in the polls.

joe pike is live in iowa for us right now. joe, what will happen this evening and why does it matter? in the next 2.5, three hour, the first votes of this presidential contest, this cycle will be cast. in 1657 causeses cans in places like church, school gyms there will be meetings where someone will speak on behalf of a candidate and registered republicans will write down the name of the person they think should be representing them at the next presidential election. iowa is very much not representative of the us, and it makes upjust1.6% of delegates to the republican national convention, a small number but the fact this is the first stop on the primary seasoned circuit means it has an outsized influence, what candidates what to leave with

tomorrow, is momentum, the big mo as george w. bush call confidence it and so far donald trump seems to have that in iowa, he is, according to the polls ahead by quite some way and therefore as you say victoria we are looking to see who comes second, it will be it nikki hayley or ron de santis. we will look at the impact of the weather, it has been windy, snowy and painfully dangerously cold, will those treacherous temperatures have an impact on the number of people who turn out and take part? donald trump's strategy is to crush the opposition, clearing a path to the republican nomination and the white house. but in iowa, extreme weather has meant getting voters out, and rivals out of his way is a little more tricky. the former and possibly future president wants this part of the campaign wrapped up, not dragged out. yet for that to happen he needs his supporters to brave the blizzards.

you can't sit home. if you're sick as a dog, you say, "darling, i got to make it." even if you vote and didn't pass away, it's worth it, remember. the temperature gauge in our car is currently at minus 16 degrees celsius, and it's forecast to and it's forecast to get even colder. so it is bound to be tricky for registered republicans, who need to turn up in person tonight to vote. iowa is important, because it's first. largely rural, and disproportionately evangelical, this political landscape has been notably more conservative in the last 15 years. deindustrialisation and the brain drain to nearby chicago have played a part. in 1976, jimmy carter used the iowa caucasus to transform his prospects from outsider to contender. tonight, i love iowa a whole lot.

more recently, some victors here have trodden a path to obscurity. mike huckabee one in 2008. rick santorum topped the iowa poll in 2012, and in 2016 ted cruz beat donald trump into second place. senator cruz remains pretty prominent, but like the others, failed to win his party's nomination. we are suspending our campaign. in the city of davenport gun enthusiasts seem to have one candidate in their sights. when i called you, do you remember how you picked up? yeah, i said "trump for president." donald trump for president. that's how i answered the phone. is that what you normally do? no, i have never done that, ijust, in the moment, i had trump on my mind. being charged in four criminal cases and involved in two civil ones seems to have triggered even stronger support for mr trump.

i feel strongly that we need a big change right now, and i'm behind the front runner, donald trump. the big issues here seem to be the economy, the border and abortion. we will see a total change in the culture of our country, but that would take, first of all, embracing ofjesus christ himself, if you really want to make it work, but at the bare minimum we need to have these moral absolutes. if you really want to make it out... does mr trump embracejesus christ? yes, oh yes, i've heard all the stories about him, but when he first game president he was dialogued with a lot of good people, who caused him to think about some of his positions and he gave his heart to the lord. that is the only way this stuff works. one's run, one's done. kimberley and her husband can't agree on who to back. i used to be a don supporter, as i was saying. a donald trump supporter? a trump supporter, and the reason

lam not, is like i said, i feel he sold out america, whereas de santis, i think he is more open to actually caring about the people, what matters, and the middle class, and a lot of time the middle class gets left out, or else we're the ones that are supposed to shoulder everything. we need a change agent in washington. we don't want somebody that's just going to go up and be part of the establishment. rearrange the deckchairs on the titanic. florida governor ron de santis has gone all in on iowa, but after investing heavily in a slick ground operation, recently he has been cancelling tv ads and hitting out at the man who is odds on to win tonight. you can be the most worthless republican in america, but if you kiss the ring he will say you are wonderful. once the favourite, he is now struggling in the battle for second place. against a former governor whose pitch is partly that she will stop donald trump.

i think president trump was the right president at the right time. i agree with a lot of his policies. but rightly or wrongly, chaos follows him. you know i'm right. chaos follows him. and nikki hayley�*s message seems to be "vote for me and let's move on from the chaos of donald trump." although she's popular within this room, polls of iowa republicans suggest the former president could get about half of their votes. she's a unifying person. she's — i think former president trump was wonderful at the time, i really liked many aspects of his platforms, but he's too polarising, and i think we are in a time when we need to be unified. why not donald trump? donald trump is a felon, he brings chaos with him, he brings division. i agree with some of his policies, but as a person i think he's

we care about the country and we are worried about what will happen. we don't want biden versus trump, because thaw will be _ a disaster for the country, _ and we want to stop trump right now. and if tonight really goes his way, the contest for the republican nomination could soon be over, when primary season has only just begun. in a moment, we'll speak to a republican insider and political strategist, but first let's talk to a spokesperson for donald trump, jason miller, live in iowa. thank you for speaking to our audience this evening mr miller. i want to start with the republican voter, towards the end ofjoe�*s film who said i agree with some of donald trump's policies but as a person think he's a despicable human being, and i would like to be proud of my president again. what do you say to that voter? i don't know why you think it is funny i that voter? i don't know why you think it is funn— think it is funny i would say, because i — think it is funny i would say, because i am _ think it is funny i would say, because i am saying - think it is funny i would say,

because i am saying take i think it is funny i would say, because i am saying take al think it is funny i would say, - because i am saying take a look at the record inflation, the fact that people are being killed on a daily saysin people are being killed on a daily says in ukraine, the chaos in the middle east and look in mirror and say is that the kind of stability you want? no, we want a change agent like president trump who will bring back the policies that made the united states so successful, so this person unfortunately i think is wildly misguided, the fact of matter is president trump is the only person who can bring it all back, we saw it from his four years in the white house, and now he will do it again and he can do it on first day, there is no need for the training wheels. ., _ there is no need for the training wheels. ., , ., . ~ wheels. you say bring it all back, let us look _ wheels. you say bring it all back, let us look at _ wheels. you say bring it all back, let us look at some _ wheels. you say bring it all back, let us look at some the _ wheels. you say bring it all back, let us look at some the promisesj wheels. you say bring it all back, i let us look at some the promises he made hen he was president. he said he would build a wall, he built a bit of it and the mexicans did not pay for it. he said he would get rid of 0bamacare, he didn't. he said he would get 4% growth, he didn't get close, that is no reason to be given a second chance? 50. close, that is no reason to be given a second chance?— a second chance? so, i also point out that president _

a second chance? so, i also point out that president trump - a second chance? so, i also point out that president trump passed | a second chance? so, i also point. out that president trump passed the largest tax cut in us history, got us to some of the greatestjobs in the wage growth gains we have seen in our nation's history, we had a secure border, there are no new wars and so for many of the folks watching here, iwish and so for many of the folks watching here, i wish you will wish russia had not invaded ukrainian, underjoe biden, president trumpst the rock of stability compared to joe biden and so i firmly reject your attempt to try to attack president trump's record and say with president trump he is the candidate of peace, and stability, joe biden is destroying democracy and making the world a much unsafe place. i mean, he wasn't able to say if he wanted ukraine to beat russia in that war, let me come back to the comment about being despicable. time out, comment about being despicable. time out. victoria. — comment about being despicable. time out, victoria, time... _ comment about being despicable. time out, victoria, time... go _ comment about being despicable. time out, victoria, time... go ahead. - comment about being despicable. time out, victoria, time... go ahead. so -

out, victoria, time... go ahead. so under barack _ out, victoria, time... go ahead. so under barack 0bama _ out, victoria, time... go ahead. so under barack 0bama and _ out, victoria, time... go ahead. so under barack 0bama and joe - out, victoria, time... go ahead. so| under barack 0bama and joe biden, under barack 0bama and joe biden, putin invaded ukraine. there were no invasions of ukraine while president trump was in office, now, withjoe biden, again, ukraine is being attacked, so explain it to me, how joe biden has improved the situation when it comes to ukraine and howjoe biden is standing up to putin, when he allowed putin to go and invade when he was the vice—president. i will talk to democrats about joe will talk to democrats aboutjoe biden, i am talking to you because you a spokesman for donald trump. some people, some republicans say donald trump is despicable because he falsely claimed wrongly proclaimed that the 2020 election had been stolen from him. again you look like you think it is funny. well... no i am saying because joined like you from the new york times or the washington post with an agenda, so if you to times or the washington post with an agenda. so if yo— agenda, so if you to give iting to me i will give — agenda, so if you to give iting to me i will give it _ agenda, so if you to give iting to me i will give it right _ agenda, so if you to give iting to me i will give it right back. - agenda, so if you to give iting to me i will give it right back. that| me i will give it right back. that is fine you can give it to me. it’s

is fine you can give it to me. it's a very- -- — is fine you can give it to me. it's a very- -- l _ is fine you can give it to me. it's a very- -- i am — is fine you can give it to me. it's a very... i am going _ is fine you can give it to me. it's a very... i am going to - is fine you can give it to me. it's a very... i am going to say... it| is fine you can give it to me. it's. a very... i am going to say... it is a very... i am going to say... it is a very... i am going to say... it is a very biased _ a very... i am going to say... it is a very biased perspective. - a very... i am going to say... it is a very biased perspective. my - a very... i am going to say... it is a very biased perspective. my jobj a very... i am going to say... it is. a very biased perspective. my job is a very biased perspective. myjob is to ask questions and just because you don't like the question, it doesn't mean i am biased. right, but the are doesn't mean i am biased. right, but they are biased _ doesn't mean i am biased. right, but they are biased and _ doesn't mean i am biased. right, but they are biased and leading _ they are biased and leading questions and if you are going to a guest on i don't think you should give the answer in the form of the question, and so when you asked me a question, and so when you asked me a question and you want to ask about a specific policy measure, i can talk to you why president trump is a greatest president that we have had in our nation's history, how he can restore that greatness and make the world a safer place, better economy, safer, stopping with the new wars, now there are going to be partisan points, there will be some in the primary but when you look at how president trump has united the party, the fact many polls are coming out, just over the weekend, multiple big outlets saying he is near 70% of the republican vote score right now, that shows a consolidation that people want a winner like president trump, to go

and beatjoe biden and so i would very much dispute the argument and again, you will have some people who might disagree but he is coalescing, uniting the party because we want to beatjoe biden. i want to show this poll to our audience, but how the republican candidate poll against joe biden, and it shows clearly that nikki haley would do better against joe biden than donald trump. the particular poll that you are pointing out includes independence and democrats, so when you take a look at republicans, a representative proportion of republicans, proper representation, president trump is beating joe biden more than any of the other candidates in the race. the most recent polling, state by state, the

electoral score, recent polling, state by state, the electoralscore, he recent polling, state by state, the electoral score, he is beating joe biden by six points in pennsylvania, eight points when it comes to michigan, and unless the poll has been skewed in some way with the sampling, president trump far and away outperforms any of the other republican candidates. there are numerous polls showing that president trump, in fact, is the only candidate who can beatjoe biden. so there is a reason why president trump is a very comfortable lead in the polls right now in iowa, while he has a 55 or 60 point lead when it comes to republicans nationally, and there is a leader why, in the general election, state after state, he is beating joe biden, because people look at the chaos and the attacks on democracy and they want that reversed, they want economic security, they want also to have peace and safety, and that only happens with president trump. and peace and safety, and that only happens with president trump. find if happens with president trump. and if mr trum - happens with president trump. and if mr trump doesn't _ happens with president trump. and if mr trump doesn't win _ happens with president trump. and if mr trump doesn't win the _ happens with president trump. and if mr trump doesn't win the republican nomination, will he say it was stolen from them?— nomination, will he say it was stolen from them? , , , stolen from them? president trump is auoin to

stolen from them? president trump is going to win — stolen from them? president trump is going to win the _ stolen from them? president trump is going to win the republican _ going to win the republican nomination, i am fully confident of that. it is also going to win the general election, i'm confident of that. americans want change, that is why the polling numbers are so strong for president trump. thank ou for strong for president trump. thank you for speaking — strong for president trump. thank you for speaking to _ strong for president trump. thank you for speaking to audience - strong for president trump. thank you for speaking to audience in . strong for president trump. thank you for speaking to audience in the uk tonight, thank you. a spokesperson for donald trump. david kotchel from des moines is a republican strategist who's worked in iowa for past candidates like mitt romney and jeb bush, so he knows a thing or two about the caucus system. he has been following the race closely, obviously, and has traditionally had his differences with donald trump. i'm just going to show you that poll again, i do not know how we had it on screen for, but look, you can see in that particular poll, which jason miller dismissed, nikki haley would do better againstjoe biden than either ron desantis or donald trump. right, we can talk to david kotchel now, thank you very much for speaking to us. you don't want donald trump to

be the republican candidate, why not? ~ ~ , ., , not? well, i think is the worst choice for _ not? well, i think is the worst choice for the _ not? well, i think is the worst choice for the party _ not? well, i think is the worst choice for the party to - not? well, i think is the worst choice for the party to run - not? well, i think is the worst choice for the party to run in l choice for the party to run in november. what you just heard from jason miller is absolutely false, nikki haley runs about 15 points ahead ofjoe biden, she would bring with a senate majority, a house majority, governors, all the way down to the courthouse. she is by far the strongest general election candidate by almost all of the polls that we see. i worked against donald trump in 2016, it was a chaos presidency, he drove our debt up $1 trillion. i think the country and the party, we are going to make a run at moving on from donald trump. but he is the clear frontrunner in the polls to be the republican nominee? what does that tell us about the republican party? weill. nominee? what does that tell us about the republican party? well, it tells us that — about the republican party? well, it tells us that he _ about the republican party? well, it tells us that he is _ about the republican party? well, it tells us that he is almost _ about the republican party? well, it

tells us that he is almost viewed - about the republican party? well, it tells us that he is almost viewed as l tells us that he is almost viewed as an incumbent. we haven't had a single vote yes, that starts here in iowa, then we go to new hampshire. national polls are about name recognition, not very many americans are really tuned into this campaign at the level they will be once we see the point taking place in iowa, new hampshire, south carolina, nevada and on. if he underperforms tonight and gets less than 50%, over half of iowa caucus goers, who should be his base, said no. so we are going to sort out the difference between desantis and nikki haley tonight, and i think it will be one of them that goes on to new hampshire and south carolina, and when he is in a one—on—one rice, it will be a lot different. in 2016, there were five or six people running against him, he had a strong base the whole time, and no—one could get past him, because all the rest of the vote was going somewhere else. this time will be different, we will limit the field to two people in the next couple of weeks,

and then it will be the first time we have seen trump one—on—one against a republican, and that is when the vulnerability will start to show. if you lose at someplace like new hampshire, the national polls will flip quickly, and i think you'll see a different campaign throughout the rest of march. 0bviously, he has got a big lead, he is the overwhelming favourite, but you can see a party or for someone to knock off in one of these early states, where he underperforms, and that inevitability will start to fall away. that inevitability will start to fallawa. . ~ that inevitability will start to fallawa . ., ~ that inevitability will start to fallawa. ., ., ., ~ ., fall away. thank you for talking to us, thank fall away. thank you for talking to us. thank you. — fall away. thank you for talking to us, thank you, david _ fall away. thank you for talking to us, thank you, david kotchel, - fall away. thank you for talking to us, thank you, david kotchel, he| fall away. thank you for talking to . us, thank you, david kotchel, he was live in iowa, thank you. today, we had the third of four reports into the rochdale grooming scandal, and it was no less shocking than any of the previous ones. it focused specifically on the sexual exploitation of children between 2004 and 2012 at the hands of gangs of men of pakistani and afgan heritage. it concluded that girls were "left at the mercy" of paedophile gangs for years because of failings by police and council bosses. 0ne survivor known as amber

said 20 to 30 men abused her, yet police chose not to pursue her case. rochdale, greater manchester. the town where a grooming scandal went on for at least a decade. where even after the authorities were alerted to the abuse, it continued. today, a report has found failings by senior police and council bosses between 2004 and 2013 left vulnerable girls to be exploited by grooming gangs. the report, which focuses on the various investigations, which failed to halt the sexual abuse, found there was a significant probability that 7a children were being sexually exploited. that the authorities didn't do enough to protect children. and that investigations into child sexual exploitation were repeatedly insufficiently resourced and supported.

it also identified at least 96 individuals who still potentially pose a risk to children, most of whom have yet to be prosecuted. in 2012, gmp�*s 0peration span resulted in nine men in the area being jailed for sexual offences against children. police hailed it as a fantastic result for british justice, and yet today's report found 0peration span fell well short of rooting out the serious problems. responding to the criticisms, rochdale council said those responsible were long gone from the organisation, while greater manchester police said handling of child sexual exploitation had been overhauled, to ensure victims are cared for. but with one further report still to come, today's findings are not the whole story. back in 2017, i spoke to one of the survivors of the rochdale grooming scandal,

who we called laura. it wasn't her real name, and her words are spoken for her to protect her identity. her case was featured in today's report. here, she tells me how the abuse escalated. not only went from having money and phones, it was then having to then have sex with not one, not two, but more of their friends, and then it became like the vicious circle of the grooming. yeah, well, i got picked up, then, as what they call my friends, and as we drove up onto the top of the hills, it was like half one in the morning, pitch black, and they were making me do sexual, give, have sex with these other men, and as i refused and said no, then there was arguing and fighting, and i was having to fight them off me. and then they took my coat and my shoes off me, and theyjust threw me out of the car and i was left there on my own, and a passer—by walked past and picked me up and took me to police station.

and when i told the police, it's — i got interviewed, but nothing ever happened. they just said there wasn't enough evidence, and when i told the police, it's — i got interviewed, but nothing ever happened. they just said there wasn't enough evidence, they gathered, of what happened, and because i couldn't explain, like i told him, the car, that the registration plate and when i told the police, it's — i got interviewed, and because there was no cameras, because it was up in the hills, the case got dropped and nothing ever happened. i was, i was hurt, because i was crying, i was scared, like i was only young, i was on my own. i didn't have, like no—one was with me, and then ijust felt like they'd let me down. like, why didn't they help me? why didn't they put me in a police car? why didn't they go looking for them? why didn't they? and nothing ever happened, like, i was just disheartened that they let me down. there was another occasion where you were taken to a flat where there was a group of men. again, they tried to make you have sex with them, you refused. they then took a metal spoon, as i understand it, and held it over a gas flame and then put it on your skin until your skin effectively burned off. you managed to call the police for help, what happened on that occasion?

i had a really large burn mark. they put over it the cooker, put it on my arm and then i rang the police, but because i was drinking, they had plied me with so much alcohol, the police have turned up, and when the police turned up, the police see me drunk and i was arguing with the other people, so when they turned up, it looked like i was the bad one. i was screaming, crying, saying "they'vejust burned me." the pakistani men said "you did it to yourself." i said "no, i didn't, yous have done it." because they have turned up and i'm drunk, i actually got arrested for that and got done for drunk and disorderly, and nothing happened to them. that is astonishing. i know, it amazes me now, like, looking back and how did this happen? like when i was younger, i used to think this is everyday life, like it happened on so many occasions, where i've rang the police and i've give a statement and it gets dropped. let's speak to maggie 0liver, former detective constable with greater manchester police, who blew the whistle on the force over failures to properly protect girls, and founder of the maggie 0liver foundation, a charity supporting adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse,

and kate ellis, solicitor at the centre for women's justice, who has represented three survivors of the rochdale grooming gangs. thank you both very much for talking to us. junhui, first of all, we heard that small extract of what had happened to laura, i wonder if you canjust describe the happened to laura, i wonder if you can just describe the impact on some of these girls who are now young women, how it has affected the rest of their lives?— of their lives? good evening, victoria- _ of their lives? good evening, victoria. you _ of their lives? good evening, victoria. you will _ of their lives? good evening, victoria. you will remember, j of their lives? good evening, | victoria. you will remember, i brought laura to speak to you seven years ago. we are now another seven years ago. we are now another seven years further on, and the abuse itself is one thing which we cannot change. what we can change is the system that is repeatedly failing them. what i want to say is, you know, this report talks about the girls in rochdale, but many victims are being filed today, they are

being criminalised, they are being abandoned, they are being ignored and silenced, and my work at the maggie 0liver foundation, i know thatis maggie 0liver foundation, i know that is happening today, because we are dealing with current cases. and what this report exposes clearly is that despite the truth being known all those years ago, the organisation is more interested in protecting the organisation, in pretending these things don't happen. it has taken me 12 years to get this report published, and i could have written that report 12 years ago. the girls and the men and the survivors who come to the foundation now are often being treated in the same way, and i was incensed today to hear the chief constable saying that everything has changed. i know that that is not the truth. the criminaljustice system, it needs a complete overhaul, and the complaints system is completely unfit for purpose, victoria.

repeatedly, we hear about these cases, and we get apologists saying these are problems of the past, but they are not, they are problems of today, and many victims throughout the whole country are experiencing these failures. they don't all get a voice, they don't all get a police officer who resigns to tell the story, and they are powerless. this is an abuse of power — in the institutions that are meant to protect the children, and we have yet to see a chief constable held to account for these deliberate failures towards these children. this report makes it very clear that individuals were responsible for the decision not to put resources into these cases, and that is still happening today, and it disgusts me, and i want to see change so that in 12 years' time, we don't have more lauras, more ambulances, who are absolutely destroyed, not only by their abuse, absolutely destroyed, not only by theirabuse, but absolutely destroyed, not only by their abuse, but by the neglect of

their abuse, but by the neglect of the organisations, of the institutions, public services that are there to protect them. this report makes it very, very clear that they are being deliberately abandoned and that the system has covered up the failures, and i would refer you to the post office scandal. you know, we have got mr bates vs the post office without the scrutiny that a drama has shone on that case, we wouldn't know the full truth, and i would say exactly the same is happening in policing, not just in rochdale, this is a national problem, and these are lives destroyed, victoria. republican vote score right now, that shows a consolidation that people want a winner like president trump, to go and beatjoe biden and so i would very much dispute the argument and so i would very much dispute the argumentand again, so i would very much dispute the argument and again, you will have some people who might disagree but he is coalescing, uniting the party because we want to beatjoe biden. kate you represent amber, what happened to her features kate you represent amber, what happened to herfeatures in kate you represent amber, what happened to her features in the report today, it's a very long report. i have read it all. so amber was abused by 20—30 men, she gave evidence of being passed round by them, being driven to other locations do have sex with men she didn't know, being threatened with a gun when she are fused. she gave hours of evidence over four month,

to the police, but they decided not to the police, but they decided not to pursue her case, and in fact she was designated an offender, a co—conspirator, alongside the men who abused her. now that is unbelievable. what, how could that happen? it unbelievable. what, how could that ha en? , , ., unbelievable. what, how could that hauen? , , ., . ., ., happen? it is staggering victoria, i think what happened _ happen? it is staggering victoria, i think what happened with - happen? it is staggering victoria, i think what happened with a - happen? it is staggering victoria, i | think what happened with a number happen? it is staggering victoria, i. think what happened with a number of cases is there was a real failure to recognise the vulnerabilities of these victims, it sounds extraordinary, given by the very nature of cases these are child victims who have been groomed, often from the age of about 12 or 13, but there was often a way of treating these victims as if they were young adults who had made bad decisions, so, in the case of amber i think a decision was made not to pursue a prosecution, in respect of her allegation, but it was reck niced that the hours and hours of evidence

she had given were crucial, potentially crucial to attaining conviction, so the crown prosecution service, in consultation with greater manchester selected a small number of victims who were going to be central to their case, whose allegations were doing to be pursued but in order to admit her crucial evidence, they relied on extraordinarily on a legal technicality, a rarely used legal technicality, a rarely used legal technicality which enabled them to name her on the indict. as a co—respond spurfor in name her on the indict. as a co—respond spur for in the gang, as if she was complicit in the abuse of other children. and now this would rely on a narrative which blames her, for, for when she was a child, not doing more to stop other children her age from being abused or, makes her complicit in their... let me go back to maggie it is because of that case ma you resigned

ultimately from greater manchester police, because you just couldn't believe that they were using her evidence in that way, but december natesing her as an offender and not pursuing her case for the people who abused her. yes pursuing her case for the people who abused her. , . pursuing her case for the people who abused her-— abused her. yes and even worst, victoria, abused her. yes and even worst, victoria. is _ abused her. yes and even worst, victoria, is that _ abused her. yes and even worst, victoria, is that before, - abused her. yes and even worst, victoria, is that before, i - abused her. yes and even worst, victoria, is that before, i was - abused her. yes and even worst, | victoria, is that before, i was the officer_ victoria, is that before, i was the officer who — victoria, is that before, i was the officer who was responsible for amber— officer who was responsible for amber and also for her sister ruby, before _ amber and also for her sister ruby, before i_ amber and also for her sister ruby, before i was— amber and also for her sister ruby, before i was allowed to approach amber. — before i was allowed to approach amber, the top lawyer in the cbs designated her a victim. amber, the top lawyer in the cbs designated hera victim. she amber, the top lawyer in the cbs designated her a victim. she gave eight _ designated her a victim. she gave eight months of her life to me, taking — eight months of her life to me, taking me _ eight months of her life to me, taking me round all the places where the abuse _ taking me round all the places where the abuse occurred. going to id parades, — the abuse occurred. going to id parades, unburdening her heart to the extent— parades, unburdening her heart to the extent i knew of dozen of men who had _ the extent i knew of dozen of men who had abused her, many of whom were identified in an id parade and eight _ were identified in an id parade and eight months later, the new crown prosecutor — eight months later, the new crown prosecutor decided that alongside the police, they would ring—fence the police, they would ring—fence the prosecution, and limit the number— the prosecution, and limit the number of victims they were going to

prosecute _ number of victims they were going to prosecute offenders for to three, and amber didn't fit into that cohort— and amber didn't fit into that cohort and so he was aban donald and almost _ cohort and so he was aban donald and almost a _ cohort and so he was aban donald and almost a year later, the barrister decided — almost a year later, the barrister decided there would not be able to be a trial— decided there would not be able to be a trial without her evidence, and anybody _ be a trial without her evidence, and anybody who understands the law will know, _ anybody who understands the law will know. that _ anybody who understands the law will know, that the only evidence admitted into a court of law is either— admitted into a court of law is either a — admitted into a court of law is either a victim or a witness, or an abuser— either a victim or a witness, or an abuser and — either a victim or a witness, or an abuser and as— either a victim or a witness, or an abuserand as a either a victim or a witness, or an abuser and as a tackty account option— abuser and as a tackty account option they added amber on into the indict _ option they added amber on into the indict. without arresting her, cautioning her, giving her legal advice — cautioning her, giving her legal advice and she didn't know that happened until i resigned and went back to _ happened until i resigned and went back to tell her, six months later, at which _ back to tell her, six months later, at which time they were trying to take her— at which time they were trying to take her children away from her based _ take her children away from her based on — take her children away from her based on the fact she was a paedophile, she was portrayed in court _ paedophile, she was portrayed in court as— paedophile, she was portrayed in court as an — paedophile, she was portrayed in court as an older, wiblding madame. she was— court as an older, wiblding madame. she was a _ court as an older, wiblding madame. she was a child, she was a little lii'l she was a child, she was a little girl who— she was a child, she was a little girl who was out of her depth and this is— girl who was out of her depth and this is absolute corruption at the highest — this is absolute corruption at the highest level i want to see heads roll victoria, highest level i want to see heads rollvictoria, i highest level i want to see heads roll victoria, i want a chief

constable held accountable and the cbs held _ constable held accountable and the cbs held accountable for the failures _ cbs held accountable for the failures and neglect of their duty. we will— failures and neglect of their duty. we will come back to that, don't worry. thank you. one of the top directors of fujitsu and the current boss of the post office are due to be grilled by mps tomorrow, while people who currently work and used to work at the tech company are giving evidence to the post office public inquiry. presumably, one of them will be asked how much they'll be contributing to the £1 billion of compensation expected to go to to former sub—postmasters. tonight on newsnight, we're looking at how courts in england and wales handle evidence obtained from computers. we know hundreds were wrongly convicted after it was assumed that the horizon it system was working properly. the courts accepted evidence from fujitsu staff saying as much. we can reveal we've seen a document that was sent to the government four years ago from several experts urging ministers to look again at the presumption in courts that computers can't get things wrong. sima kotecha has the story.

in 2019, a civil case against the post office took place. the high court ruled that the horizon it system was faulty. thejudgment said... mr bates, that has been put to you... lawyers say the implication from the judge was that the approach to disclosure, the legal process of making documentary evidence and records from computers available to defendants in legal proceedings, was unsatisfactory. the post office withheld from disclosure to those it prosecuted that there had been problems with bugs, errors and defects in the horizon system. this meant subpostmasters were unable to use that information to challenge that horizon was working properly, as the post office alleged, and that horizon itself

was responsible for the shortfalls. in courts in england and wales, evidence produced by computers is treated as reliable unless other evidence suggests otherwise. we know that hundreds of subpostmasters were wrongly prosecuted. in those prosecutions the post office relied on the presumption in law that the computers were operating correctly. in 2006, i was taken to the high court and found liable for a loss in my post office accounts, and that was because the assumption of the computer working correctly, and i didn't have the proof or the knowledge or the skills to prove otherwise. now, newsnight has learnt that in 2020, a group of it and legal experts raised concerns about that presumption with the government, saying that it could lead to further miscarriages ofjustice. the document, signed by several professors and barristers, were sent to alex chalk, the nowjustice secretary, but back then a junior minister, and it spells out a clear argument for a change in the

handling of disclosure. it said... paul marshall was one of the main signatories. the recommendation that we made in our paper is that there should be an automatic obligation on the part of any party who wants to rely on computer evidence — to give disclosure of two things in effect. one is to disclose actual knowledge of bugs in the system, and what those effects were and are known to have been. and secondly, the system was properly managed and properly audited.

we've been told alex chalk didn't personally reply, but a civil servant sent a response, saying the document would be sent to the attorney general. in may 2022, in response to a tabled question, the government said it had no plans to review the presumption, as it has, it said "wide application and is rebuttable if there is evidence to the contrary." today, the moj pointed us to its guidance in response to ourfindings, which says... for me, to change that is fundamental, really, because you can't.

it's very difficult for anybody to prove something when you don't have that disclosure and all of that information that the technical other side already have. this may seem like a side story to the post office scandal, but for the lawyers who are calling for change, there is a pressing need for the presumption that computer evidence is correct to be urgently reviewed, to avoid the risk of yet more miscarriages ofjustice. how many conservative mps don't have confidence in rishi sunak�*s approach to illegal migration and his latest rwanda legislation? well, we should find out this week. if mps on the right of the tory party fail to make his plans to stop the boats any tighter or tougher in the coming 2a hours or so with various amendments, will they really vote against it on wednesday night when the vote in the commons is due? as you can see, the times tomorrow has details of what the prime minister is planning. nick's here — what are you hearing? her depth and this is absolute corruption

well, that is potentially significant story on the