tonight at six — the first british police officer to be convicted of a terrorist offence. 22—year—old benjamin hannam, a probationary officer with the metropolitan police, was a member of the banned far—right neo—nazi group national action. why did you join a terrorist organisation and then join the police? he was also found guilty of fraud for lying on his police application form. never before has a serving police officer been prosecuted for being a member of a terrorist group. his conviction is the latest in a series of damaging incidents for scotland yard. we'll be looking at the impact on the uk's largest force. also tonight... murdered by a stranger — a man is found guilty of killing lorraine cox after she went missing

after a night out with friends. 0k, there's your paperwork. brilliant. that's fully loaded, everything is ok. from liverpool to belfast — new trade arrangements across the irish sea. brexit is having. and at the age of 81 why sir ian mckellen has chosen to take on one of the toughest roles in theatre. and coming up on the bbc news channel... we head live to speak to the england camp ahead of the first game of the new six nations campaign, as the defending champions face scotland in doncaster on saturday good evening and welcome to the bbc news at six.

a metropolitan police officer has been found guilty of belonging to a banned neo—nazi terror group and possessing extremist material. the 22—year—old is the first serving british police officer to be convicted of a terror offence. benjamin hannam was a member of the far—right extremist group national action — which was banned in 2016. he lied about his past in his application to join the police. our home affairs correspondent daniel sandford reports. pc ben hannam, 22 years old, who today became the first police officer in britain to be convicted of terrorism. after he had been found guilty, we had to chase him to talk to him, because he ran from a side door of the court. why did you join a terrorist organisation, thenjoin the police? his father, keeping me from asking questions, and whisking him away in a taxi. he will be sentenced in three weeks. at his passing out parade three years ago, it was cressida dick, the head of the metropolitan police, who oversaw the ceremony

and walked right past him as she welcomed the new recruits. just two years earlier, here he was taking part in propaganda for the banned neo—nazi terrorist group national action. let's go. doing fight training in the woods. and daubing a natty torch on a wall in swindon. —— nazi. traces of the graffiti ben hannam sprayed on that trip are still visible in swindon to this day. when he did it, he was still an active member of a banned neo—nazi terrorist organisation. within weeks of doing it, he was applying to join london's metropolitan police. the propaganda video from the trip was posted on the internetjust days before he put in his application. this was police raiding his home to seize phones and computers. it had taken two years to realise they had a nazi in the ranks. just point them out, don't touch them. yeah, yeah.

no, it's fine. that phone, this apple watch... they only found him because the membership of a nazi internet forum had been leaked. on his bedroom wall, he still had a picture of a german soldier from world war ii. police also found an indecent image of a child. this is a unique case, and never before has a serving police officer been prosecuted for being a member of a terrorist group. when we identified the person we were looking at was a police officer, it was of course a shock, but we then moved very quickly to arrest ben hannam. ina diary, in a diary, he noted that hejoined national action in 2015, left in 2017 and joined the metropolitan police service in 2018. among other former national action members, jack renshaw has admitted plotting to kill his mp. zach davis was found guilty

of attempting to behead an asian dentist and jack coulson had made a pipe bomb. it seems incredible that a man who had been a member of a terrorist organisation could join the police, and the police not be aware of his background. and the police not be aware of his background-— and the police not be aware of his back round. ,, ., ., background. seen here during a nazi salute in a propaganda _ background. seen here during a nazi salute in a propaganda video, - background. seen here during a nazi salute in a propaganda video, he - background. seen here during a nazi| salute in a propaganda video, he had ticked a box on two police forms. he said he had never been a member of the bnp. the force never took a reference from the school he had just left, where one teacher had been shocked by his racism. daniel sandford, bbc news. our home editor mark easton is here. this is the latest in a number of damaging incidents involving the metropolitan police? it's been a very difficult — the metropolitan police? it's been a very difficult few _ the metropolitan police? it's been a very difficult few weeks _ the metropolitan police? it's been a very difficult few weeks for - the metropolitan police? it's been a very difficult few weeks for the - very difficult few weeks for the met. the charging of one of their officers with the murder of sarah everard, another officer being investigated over the alleged rape of two female colleagues, and now a serving officer convicted of being a

member of a neo—nazi terrorist organisation. individually, these are all very unusual, or unprecedented. and i do think it is just coincidence that they have all hit the front pages in quick succession. the question though is whether there is an underlying problem, in terms of public trust in the matter. while the situation is not disastrous, i think we ought to look at the data, the official figures. it does show a deteriorating picture. 0verall victim satisfaction is down from 77%, to 64% in three years. the proportion of londoners who say the police are doing a good job in their local area, also down from 68%, to 56%. on the proportion who agree that the police can be relied upon to be there when needed, also down from 76%, to 67%. public trust in the police is really a measure of their legitimacy. and legitimacy is their legitimacy. and legitimacy is the bedrock of the whole british system of policing by consent. that

is why, however unusual the individual cases may be, this rash of negative publicity at the met actually matters.— of negative publicity at the met actuall matters. ~ ., ., ~ actually matters. mark easton, thank ou. a man has been convicted of murdering a 32—year—old woman who went missing after a night out with friends in exeter last year. lorraine cox was last seen walking through the empty streets in the early hours of the morning. she was being followed by a 24—year—old man, who lured her back to his room before killing her and dismembering her body. jon kay reports. lorraine cox thought she was safe on the streets of exeter. but walking alone after a night out with friends last september, she was being followed by a stranger. the man with the blue circle above him was 24—year—old azam mangori. cctv shows him shadowing her through the empty city centre for several minutes.

then, he crosses the road to chat to her. thejury then, he crosses the road to chat to her. the jury was shown this footage of mangori leading 32—year—old lorraine back to his flat above a fast—food outlet. there, he murdered her and dismembered her body. 0ver her and dismembered her body. over the next few days, he tried to conceal his crime. buying plastic sheeting and air fresheners. conceal his crime. buying plastic sheeting and airfresheners. hiding evidence, sending fake messages, placing her remains in bags and disposing of them in bins. mangori even took a taxi to bury body parts at a local beauty spot. to even took a taxi to bury body parts at a local beauty spot.— at a local beauty spot. to pretend i'm t in: at a local beauty spot. to pretend i'm trying to _ at a local beauty spot. to pretend i'm trying to pretend _ at a local beauty spot. to pretend i'm trying to pretend that - at a local beauty spot. to pretend | i'm trying to pretend that lorraine was still alive —— to pretend that lorraine will still alive and dispose of the relevant evidence, it goes to the heart of the individual we are dealing with here. it is an evil person who deserves to be locked up.

evil person who deserves to be locked un— evil person who deserves to be locked u. , ., locked up. this case has resonated in exeter, especially _ locked up. this case has resonated in exeter, especially with - locked up. this case has resonated in exeter, especially with the - in exeter, especially with the recent national campaign highlighting violence against women. she is almost forgotten already. for lorraine _ she is almost forgotten already. for lorraine cox!— lorraine cox! what makes this case even more — lorraine cox! what makes this case even more disturbing _ lorraine cox! what makes this case even more disturbing is _ lorraine cox! what makes this case even more disturbing is that - lorraine cox! what makes this case even more disturbing is that this i even more disturbing is that this wasn't the first time that lorraine cox was the victim of a serious crime. just a few years before she was murdered, she was sexually assaulted here in exeter by another man in an unconnected attack. he was robert prout, and a recording made by lorraine cox helped convict him earlier this year. four months after she was murdered by mangori. in a region of the uk that has one of the lowest crime rates, what happened to lorraine cox has provoked dismay, disgust and disbelief. jon kay, bbc news, exeter. the head of nhs england, sir simon stevens, has warned people

to take the easing of coronavirus restrictrions "one step at a time" and not to squander the progress made on beating the virus. the latest survey from the office for national statistics has found the number of infections has fallen in england and scotland, but it's not clear whether they are rising or falling in wales and northern ireland. our health editor hugh pym reports. out in the sunshine and enjoying new freedoms in england this week to see friends and family outdoors. but there is a warning ahead of the easter weekend that meeting people within the rules was fine, but not to go further. you only have to look across the channel, to the very high covid pressures in france and other parts of the continent right now, to realise that we mustn't squander the huge progress that we've made. the head of nhs england is now looking ahead and believes useful lessons have been learned during the pandemic. the way in which the nhs has mobilised, not only for the successful vaccination campaign, but also hospitals working

together to make sure that patients get the intensive care they needed, better working with community services and local government. that sets the blueprint for what the next phase of our nhs needs to be. that blueprint includes schemes run by local nhs groups, like this one at skipton, in west yorkshire. like the vaccination roll—out, they are reaching out to patients who might be vulnerable, and helping them cut the risk of ill health. ray was 18 stone and struggling to walk for more than 15 minutes. but he's lost three and a half stone after being put on a local nhs plan called healthy hearts, involving regular blood pressure checks and a course to give lifestyle diet advice. i feel very much a different person. i don't have any major health problems at all now. i have a far more active life. and i think also i have a greater self esteem. this is all about the nhs in local

areas, notjust waiting for patients to come to them when they're unwell, but reaching out into their communities to identify those who might be at risk, and helping them prevent future ill—health. that can involve what is known as social prescribing, helping people find the best support services to head off future problems, for example in mental health. particularly post covid, i think we may see more of that. and i think that's where social prescribing will play a vital role in just supporting people to adapt to a normal life, whatever that will look like after covid. getting back to normal could take time. a study today suggests more than1 million people in the uk still had symptoms five weeks or more after a covid infection. yet another challenge for the nhs. hugh pym, bbc news, skipton. the latest government figures show there were 4,479 new coronavirus infections recorded in the latest 24—hour period. on average, 11,570 new cases were

reported per day in the last week that's down by around a third on this time last week. there are 3,957 patients in hospital with covid—19. 51 deaths were reported in the latest 24—hour period. that's people who died within 28 days of a positive covid—19 test. on average in the past week, 46 deaths were announced every day. the total number is now 126,764. as for vaccinations, almost 242,000 people have had their firstjab in the latest 24—hour period bringing the total to just over 31.1 million. and over 4.5 million people have now had both doses. the timetable for easing restrictions in wales has been set out by the first minister, mark drakeford — though he said it was all dependent on coronavirus case numbers. the plan is for non—essential retail to reopen from april 12th.

that's also when travel to and from wales will be allowed again — and students can resume face—to—face education. two weeks after that, outdoor attractions can reopen and cafes, restaurants and pubs can offer hospitality outdoors. from early may, organised outdoor activities with up to 30 people can resume. gyms and leisure centres will open for individual training and two households can meet indoors. if all goes to plan, community centres and organised indoor activities can reopen later on. 0ur correspondent, tomas morgan, has this report. this time last year, james sommerin held a michelin star in his restaurant in penarth. but the pandemic�*s meant he's lost that star and that restaurant. this year, it's been soul destroying. open for just 29 days last year in his new establishment, there is some good news today, as the welsh government have announced that hospitality could start serving outside again from the 26th of april. it's great to have a little bit of news.

finally, you know, there is a small glimmer of hope for us to move forward. we've got six tables, which can seat up to four people. it's got to be viable for the business. with maybe only two people to a table, we're going to have to do a fair amount of covers for it to actually pay its way. gyms have also been given a date for reopening, the 10th of may — a month after the industry reopens across the border in england. as far as i know, there is no greater risk factor in wales than there is in england. so, i don't really understand why there such a difference. notjust the dates that we get to open, but the whole road map that england have got. it begs the question of whether it's actually a political decision, or whether it's got anything to do with covid. although gyms and hospitality have been given provisional dates for reopening, those dates are caveated, "as long as things keep moving in the right direction." i.e, vaccination rates remain on track and hospital admission rates and virus rates within the population here in wales remain low.

plaid cymru and the welsh tories say the labour welsh government have taken too long giving businesses the certainty they needed. the lib dems ask those whose jobs are at risk get more support. so, it's a sense of deja vu today in wales, and i hope that this is the last lockdown. tomos morgan, bbc news, cardiff. the time is 6:16. our top story this evening: benjamin hannam becomes the first british police officer to be convicted of a terrorism offence, for his involvement with a neo—nazi organisation. and coming up: the owner of liberty steel has said that none of its plants will close under his watch.

the ferry operator stena line says brexit is still causing significant distortion to trade volumes over the irish sea, three months after the uk's separation from the eu. one of the most contentious aspects of the deal was the introduction of new checks between great britain and northern ireland. figures obtained by the bbc show that exporting goods over the irish sea now costs up to £350 pounds more per pallet. and the additional paperwork adds up to an extra four hours turnaround time for every lorry. 0ur ireland correspondent emma vardy has been on the journey over the irish sea, to see what impact the new arrangements are having. this is where the real brexit is happening on the ground. and these are the people having to get their heads around a whole new way of doing things. at fortec distribution hub, near leicester, they're getting goods ready to be shipped over the irish sea. and we're coming along,

because what's happening could have implications for the very unity of the uk and, some believe, for the peace and stability of northern ireland. so, we're three months into all this. how's it going? at the beginning, it was a struggle. some members were geared up better than others. some businesses dealt with it better than others. ultimately, we still have a few issues where paperwork is not done correctly, and freight still ends up sitting on the floor. if the paperwork�*s not right, it can't leave here? if it's not right, it can't leave here. exactly that. sending goods to northern ireland used to be largely paperwork free. there you go, there's your paperwork. 0k, brilliant. fully loaded. everything is ok. but now, the journey our driver graham has been doing for 20 years involves a lot more red tape. this is the compromise borisjohnson agreed with the eu to avoid having checks over the sensitive land border with the irish republic. we have some wine, . then we have pet food. pet food?

yeah. ok, thanks, mate. some products involve more checks than others. obviously the pet food _ at the minute, because it's animal origins, has caused a few problems. so we have four pallets sealed on the back of the lorry. - that is why we are going to customs l as soon as we get back to belfast. i new veterinary inspectors will be awaiting us in the morning. but, for now, the lights of liverpool bid us farewell. 6:30am, in northern ireland. well, wejust arrived in belfast. we're still in the uk. but this is now where we effectively enter the eu single market. we are just about to go through one of the new border control posts. and it's what happens here that is still a source of much tension between the uk and the eu. the first two weeks of january were quite chaotic. you know, things werejust, like, what has just happened? stena line say brexit�*s led to a big distortion and volumes of freight on different routes.

did anyone expect this amount of change to the way goods were travelling? no, no—one expected the level of difficulties and challenges that we have had. and we've seen that industry hasn't been as well—prepared as one would have hoped. but flows will go back, and i think what will happen is it'lljust take more time. this is only the start of a journey. this is only the start of the process. this could take a number of years before things become easier. time for our cameras to see what this new border in the uk is like. hi, mate. whatever you've got, just park over on the left, so i can see you. 0k, thank you. at the first border post, graham's lorry is escorted to a second location for physical inspections to take place. but there is a hiccup. they've got a shed that the trailer |doesn't fit into, to do the checks. | we need a customs load of measuring tapes! - there is obvious teething issues. work was supposed to begin on building a new border posts. but amid political rows,

the northern ireland minister in charge has halted the work. i haven't much room here to spin round. i we're directed to a third location, where there is nervousness among border officials, who tell us they are still concerned about safety following recent threats against staff. we stopped filming while the checks are finally completed. we're going into this depot now. we've cleared customs. the vet is happy that everything is sealed. we're through, but it's a process graham says often adds an hour or two on tojourneys. and you don't have to look far to see the rising resentment among unionists. the anger that i have saw in my community is far beyond anything i have seen before. people really do feel like their equal citizenship and their british citizenship is really under threat. why do you think it affects any sense of identity? because it's effectively a border within the middle of the united kingdom.

when there was talk of a hard border on the island of ireland, nobody would stand for it. so why all of a sudden is it ok for a border within the united kingdom? and this border is set to become even more prominent, with increased paperwork in the months to come. sometimes you feel a little helpless. - what was a very straightforward process before brexit now- isn't straightforward. maybe more people in transport should have been asked more . questions about the best way to do things _ hopefully things will. improve in the future. there's still a bit of a way to go - to get things running more smoothly. for those on the front line, the brexitjourney has only just begun. emma vardy, bbc news, belfast. around two million people will get a pay increase today as the national living wage — the statutory minimum wage — goes up. it's rising for everyone over 23 by 2.2% to eight pounds 91 pence per hour. that works out at nearly £350 a year for a full—time employee. but low—paid workers on furlough won't get the increase.

the rise is also being offset by bigger bills coming in this month. they include gas and electricity, council tax, water and broadband. the owner of liberty steel has said that none of its plants will close under his watch. there are 11 sites across the uk employing around 3,000 workers. sanjeev gupta said taking on the uk plants had been a tough journey and he is now racing to refinance his business after the collapse of his main financial backer. with more, here's our business editor simonjack. 12 steel plants across the uk are facing an uncertain future after the government rejected a request for a taxpayer bailout for the man once known as the saviour of steel. but today, sanjeev gupta was in was in defiant mood. it still a tough journey ahead.

there are many disadvantages. uk steel industry has been decimated for the last few decades. we still have a lot of work to do, i'm not going to give up on the uk as long as i'm in charge my plants will stay open. but a lot of people think that with you in charge that will be in impediment to government support. all our steel operations in the uk, one after the other was in process of shutting. it's our hard work which means we now have a future. i believe in the future of my steel business. i'm guessing that you personally are worth 170 million. why don't you put your own money in? i've always done so and some of that is happening as we speak. gupta bought up plants that others had given up on. saving the livelihood of workers who remain loyal to him. he has been a good employer as far as i'm concerned. so far we've had no problem with him. wages are always regular, we have not missing dates. everything seems to be all right. he says we'll get through this, i hope he does. gupta built his empire by using tomorrow's money to pay today's bills. he sold invoices due for future payment to a company run by this australian banker, lex greensill, who would buy them

at a discount for ready cash and sell them on to investors. but in early march, greensill went bust. despite efforts from former prime minister and greensill employee david cameron, who personally lobbied the chancellor on greensill�*s behalf. behind this unremarkable door is the london home of the remarkable middleman that funneled billions of investor cash into mr gupta's empire. now investors who got burned when greensill went bust are going directly after mr gupta as assets surely making it harder for him to find the new money he needs to keep liberty steel afloat. the prime minister today insisted the uk needs strategic industries like steel. we've learned through the pandemic that it's not a good idea to be excessively reliant in times of trouble on imports of critical things. we saw that with ppe, for instance. we need a strong steel industry. i'm very hopeful that will get a solution. the finances are complicated, but simple industrial and political

logic means the government is ready to intervene if necessary. simon jack, bbc news. the prime minister's senior adviser on ethnic minorities, samuel kasumu, is to stand down. news of his departure comes the day after the publication of a government—commissioned report on race that has been criticised by campaigners. downing street has denied his exit is linked to the report's findings. borisjohnson says he doesn't agree with "absolutely everything" in the report. george floyd's girlfriend courtney ross broke down in court in minneapolis today as she described the couple's first meeting, saying he offered to pray for her. at the murder trial of derek chauvin, the police officer caught kneeling on floyd's neck for more than nine minutes, she also talked of his struggle with opioid addiction.

northern ireland's deputy first minister — michelle 0'neill — has apologised to bereaved families for attending the mass funeral of an ira leader in belfast lastjune, during strict covid restrictions. the sinn fein politician offered "a heartfelt and unreserved" apology for the hurt caused to those who had lost loved ones in the pandemic. at the age of 81, the celebrated actor sir ian mckellen is taking on one of the toughest roles in theatre. he's playing hamlet — half a century after he first played the role. the curtain should go up injune, when restrictions on theatres are finally eased. 0ur arts editor will gompertz has been talking to sir ian at the theatre royal windsor about the huge challenge ahead. of all occasions to inform against me and spur my dull revenge! the mode, these days, of casting people who don't necessarily look the part, because it's the inner person you're going after, and if i can rake around inside and discover the young man in me, then hopefully it'll be all right. strikes me that the biggest challenge is the physicality, is the movement.

well, what am i to do? i can't pretend i'm 20. no one's going to believe it. but i can feel that i'm 20. it is going to be an 80—year—old man playing a man 50 years younger. i have played gandalf, who was over 7,000 years old. no one said i was too young! you shall not pass! i think it's fair to say, or true to say, at least, you first played hamlet as a child when you had your toy theatre, didn't you ? yes, yes, i'd be about ten or 11. my parents gave me a pollock's toy theatre, which was a theatre that you have to cut up and reassemble. cardboard. and behind a tea towel, i was saying the words. i did a shortened version of hamlet just after christmas lunch! and you cannot have imagined then that you would be playing it, what, 70 years later? no, of course not, no. i thought i'd be playing polonius, if not the skull, by this time! yorick�*s skull.

there will be people who come to collect this hamlet. i remember when i played it in 1971, two old gentleman came round to see me afterwards and said, "congratulations, "you're our 73rd hamlet". why, madam, it is common. if it be, why seems it's so particular with thee? seems, madam? nay, it is. i know not seems. shakespeare was not unfamiliar with pandemics and plagues. how do you think theatre's going to respond to what's happened in the last 12 months? it's been pretty devastating. during my lifetime, the theatres in london were closed for longish periods during the second world war, but always sprang back. so, 50 years after this hamlet... it is an unweeded garden that grows to seed. sir ian mckellen once again plays the prince, undimmed by the whips and scorns of time. time for a look at the weather. here's darren bett.

it is all change? it is all change? it is all change? it is indeed. we have been to the top of the roller—coaster, and we are going down. temperatures were 19 today in cornwall, the part of the country to be. linkage has been warm recently, but recently, the temperatures were no more than 9 degrees, with the cool breeze feeding off the cloud. most of the day ends with sunshine, but we will see patchy cloud moving into parts of england and wales, more across northern scotland. the rest of scotland and northern ireland, clear, cold and frosty. more thrust across northern england, and the risk across england, where the cloud is thinner. across the easter weekend, gardeners, take note. more thrust. and it will feel more cold in the wind, which could bring in some showers. 0ne in the wind, which could bring in some showers. one or two lights showers threatening the east of scotland, north—east on friday before the cloud breaks later.