a bbc investigation has found that the metropolitan police was told about allegations of sexual assault by mohamed al fayed, a decade earlier than they have recently acknowledged. samantha ramsay was 17 when she reported al fayed in 1995 after he sexually assaulted her in harrods. until now, the force has said its first report dated from 2005. samantha has since passed away but scotland yard says there's no history of her case on its computer systems, but paper—based reports from the 19905 might not have been digitised. harriet wistrich is the director of the centre for women'sjustice and gave us her reaction to the metropolitan police investigation. well, it is a horrifying story that so many women, so, so many

women reported mohamed al fayed, going back, it seems, decades. and this was clearly a failure to investigate these allegations, and the failure to link the earlier allegations with the later reports that came forward. it's a scandal, but it's a huge lost opportunity. and, really, what we now know is that, had those allegations been linked, he could have been stopped, and many, many women's lives would not have been ruined because of the sexual assault that took place on the rate that took place on the rate that took place quickly. place on the rate that took place quickly-— place on the rate that took lace cuickl . ., . ., , place quickly. you have advised many women — place quickly. you have advised many women who _ place quickly. you have advised many women who tried - place quickly. you have advised many women who tried to - place quickly. you have advised | many women who tried to come forward with their experiences, what have you observed about the investigation is processed through their experiences?

well, i have advised many women over the years, over those past three decades, in relation to rape allegations. there was included victims of the serial rapist taxi driverjohn worboys, who was prolific during the early 20005, the same time it seems a number of women came forward to report mohamed al fayed. we brought a case against two of the women, we brought the case against the metropolitan police. during the course of that claim, which ultimately found that there were grotesque, 5y5temic failures that amounted to a breach of the women's�* human rights, it transpired that over 100 women have been a victim of this taxi driver and that was during a time when ten women have reported it. so, that

failure to investigate, like in the alf iata -- failure to investigate, like in the alf iata —— mohamed al fayed case, it is a human rights scandal, a violation of right5 scandal, a violation of the rights of the women who should have been protected by police and were badly let down. what do you think needs to be done to improve the system of the processes?— done to improve the system of the processes? currently there is bein: the processes? currently there is being rolled _ the processes? currently there is being rolled out _ the processes? currently there is being rolled out a _ the processes? currently there is being rolled out a new- is being rolled out a new operating model, as i understand, which is based on a move in the right direction, and this seems almost ridiculous that we have to say this, but police ought to be investigating the suspect and not the victim.— not the victim. that was the director of _ not the victim. that was the director of the _ not the victim. that was the director of the centre - not the victim. that was the director of the centre for i director of the centre for women'sjustice.

director of the centre for women's justice. the metropolitan police say there is no computer records of the report, although the paper records may not have been digitised. commander stephen clayman says: "while we cannot change what has happened, we do acknowledge that trust and confidence is affected by our approach in the past and we are determined to do better. if you've been affected by this story, search �*bbc action line' on the bbc news website for support. new data has revealed that social media photo and messaging app snapchat is the most widely used online platform for grooming. according to the nspcc — the uk's leading children's charity — more than 7,000 sexual communication with a child offences were recorded in the year to march. let's speak to the bbc�*s senior technology reporter graham fraser. what to do the nspcc find in their investigation? this investigation _ their investigation? this investigation by - their investigation? this investigation by the - their investigation? ti 3 investigation by the nspcc, they basically spoke to the

police forces acro55 they basically spoke to the police forces across the uk, and they gathered the data. as you say, they found that more than 7000 sexual communication with a child offence act5 than 7000 sexual communication with a child offence acts were recorded in the year to march this year, the highest number since the offence wa5 this year, the highest number since the offence was created in 2017. according to the police figures, almost half of the offences, where we know which platform they happened on, almost half happened on snapchat. it is absolutely key to point out that we don't know which platform was used in the vast majority of the offences. we only know, actually, about two out of every seven cases. for the cases we do know, snapchat wa5 for the cases we do know, snapchat was seen as rated more highly than other platforms, and the snapchat design was highlighted by the child safety policy manager at the nspcc. she said there were problems with the design of the app,

such as images and messages deleting up to 2a hours, making incriminating behaviour harder to track. ~ ., ., , incriminating behaviour harder to track. ~ . ,, ., ,. ., to track. what has snapchat said in response? _ to track. what has snapchat said in response? in - to track. what has snapchat said in response? in a - said in response? in a statement _ said in response? in a statement to - said in response? in a statement to the - said in response? in a| statement to the bbc, said in response? in a - statement to the bbc, they said in response? in —. statement to the bbc, they say they have an absolute zero tolerance to the sexual exploitation of young people, and they say there is extra safety measures in place for young people, many of whom use snapchat as one of the most popular apps for young people in the uk. they have safety measures in place for them, and their parents. in a statement they said, if we identify such activity or it is reported to us, we remove the content, disable the account, take steps to prevent the offender from creating additional accounts and report them to the authorities. they are also keen to point out that the point i made earlier, that the data is not full from the nspcc in revealing which platforms it took place on. it has been a bad week for snapchat, last week we were reporting on a

case of alexander mccarthy, a catfisher from case of alexander mccarthy, a catfisherfrom northern ireland catfisher from northern ireland who catfisherfrom northern ireland who has been jailed catfisherfrom northern ireland who has beenjailed for 20 years for extreme online sexual abuse of children and the manslaughter of a 12—year—old girl. it came out during his court case that many of his victims were targeted on snapchat. victims were targeted on snapchat-— victims were targeted on snachat. . , , snapchat. that is right, people can find out — snapchat. that is right, people can find out more _ snapchat. that is right, people can find out more about - snapchat. that is right, people can find out more about the i can find out more about the story on the bbc website. that is our senior technology reporter graham fraser. gps, care homes and hospices have voiced concerns that they'll have to pay the higher employer national insurance contributions announced in the budget. they aren't categorised as part of the public sector, which is exempt, even though they provide nhs services. here's our political correspondent helen catt who told us more about why they are categorised differently. non—public sector organisations will not be exempt and they will not be exempt and they will have to pay employer national insurance contributions in the same way they normally do. therefore, at a higher rate. it will depend on the size of those

organisations. we have designed the scheme specifically to support smaller businesses, by lifting the allowance, the level at which you start to pay employer national insurance on traditions from £5,000 chief £10,005. that means around 50% of all businesses will pay no more than they were already paying, orwill more than they were already paying, or will pay less under this scheme compared to the last one. ,, . ., , last one. the chief secretary to the treasury. _ last one. the chief secretary to the treasury. helen - last one. the chief secretary| to the treasury. helen castor told us more.— told us more. this is to do with the — told us more. this is to do with the budget _ told us more. this is to do with the budget that - told us more. this is to do - with the budget that happened on wednesday, the biggest revenue raising measure in it was — revenue raising measure in it was to— revenue raising measure in it was to put— revenue raising measure in it was to put up the rate of national insurance that was paid — national insurance that was paid by— national insurance that was paid by employers. there was an exemption — paid by employers. there was an exemption put into that for anything that is in the public sector, _ anything that is in the public sector, nhs organisations, public— sector, nhs organisations, public sector organisations, so that they— public sector organisations, so that they would not be affected by the — that they would not be affected by the additional costs. the health— by the additional costs. the health care system is pretty complex in england, and within it, complex in england, and within

it. or— complex in england, and within it, oracross complex in england, and within it, or across the complex in england, and within it, oracross the uk, it has lots — it, oracross the uk, it has lots of— it, oracross the uk, it has lots of private companies that deliver— lots of private companies that deliver nhs services like, for example, care homes, hospices and also— example, care homes, hospices and also gp surgeries, family doctors _ and also gp surgeries, family doctors. there have been some concerns— doctors. there have been some concerns from those in the sector— concerns from those in the sector that this would put big pressure _ sector that this would put big pressure on the budget. there was confusion over whether or not gps — was confusion over whether or not gps would have to pay the extra — not gps would have to pay the extra money, but this morning the chief— extra money, but this morning the chief secretary to the treasury, one of the most senior— treasury, one of the most senior treasury ministers, has confirmed _ senior treasury ministers, has confirmed the bbc that they not be confirmed the bbc that they not he an— confirmed the bbc that they not be an exemption for gps, that larger gp surgeries would have to pay— larger gp surgeries would have to pay the additional money. the british medical association, which represents doctors. — association, which represents doctors, has said that it would have _ doctors, has said that it would have a — doctors, has said that it would have a monumental impact on surgeries— have a monumental impact on surgeries across the country. now— surgeries across the country. now from _ surgeries across the country. now from government sources i have — now from government sources i have been— now from government sources i have been speaking to, there were — have been speaking to, there were suggestions there were conversations happening between the department of health and the department of health and the treasury, certainly around gps _ the treasury, certainly around gps and _ the treasury, certainly around gps. and trying to come up with a way— gps. and trying to come up with

a way forward of working through the impact on the public— through the impact on the public sector. perhaps there are ways _ public sector. perhaps there are ways of feeding money back in through the wider system. that— in through the wider system. that stilt— in through the wider system. that still leaves lots of questions about, for example, companies that run care homes. a teenager who stabbed a schoolgirl to death in an alleyway will be sentenced today. logan macphail was 16 when he murdered 15—year—old holly newton in hexham, northumberland. he'd become obsessed with her after refusing to accept their relationship was over. a warning that there are details in this report, from our correspondent alison freeman, that viewers may find distressing. holly newton was a funny, sociable 15—year—old who loved to dance and wanted to be a dance teacher. on friday the 27th of january last year she had finished school and went to hexham to spend time with friends. what she did not know as she walked around the town but she was being followed by her former boyfriend, logan mcphail.

after tracking herfor 45 minutes, dressed in black, the 16—year—old spoke to her outside a pizza shop. less than 15 minutes later he attacked her with a knife in the alleyway next to it. another boy attempted to stop him. the boy trying to help holly by grabbing her attacker and putting him in a headlock, but he was stabbed four times in the leg and shoulder. the injuries holly received were catastrophic. in just one minute she suffered 36 injuries. she was stabbed 12 times, suffered 19 slash wounds and had five further wounds to her hands where she tried to defend herself. the attack was so brutal, the knife broke during it and only ended when passers—by intervened. holly was taken to hospital where she died. logan mcphail had become increasingly controlling and obsessed with holly and could not accept their relationship was over. he had to be taken away by police after sitting

outside her house the night before he killed her. her mother arranged a meeting with officers the following afternoon, a meeting that holly would never attend. she said i was supposed to be going out with my friends tonight. she begged me for a good half an hour, 45 minutes, i want to go out. he ruined everything for me. in court, logan mcphail claimed he had been carrying the knife because he planned to hurt himself, not holly and that he had no recollection of the attack. thejury did not believe him and he was found guilty of murder at the end of august. her family say she was the victim of domestic abuse but because in the eyes of the law she was a child it was recorded as knife crime. they want that law changed. because he is 16, at the age where he can be an abusive, in an abusive relationship

but because she was 15 it goes down as knife crime. it goes in that category, where it should not sit. the only connection it has is the fact he killed her with a knife. but in all honesty, i think he would have killed her with anything so she could not be with anyone else because it was about control, obsession, passion. logan mcphail is due to be sentenced for murder later today. cutting the amount of sugar children get in the womb and as toddlers can protect them against diabetes and high blood pressure in adulthood, research suggests. the study, by the university of southern california, analysed the impact of ending sugar rationing in the uk after the second world war. it found significant differences between babies born either side of the ending of sugar rationing in britain. i spoke to professor steve turner who is the president

of the royal college of paediatrics and child heath. he told us more about the differences between those born either side of the sugar rationing. i think the overall message i would like people to take home is that at all stages way, as humans, should be exposed to reasonable amount of a healthy balanced diet. we are focusing on sugar here. to answer the question more specifically, i think the authors of the paper said about a third of the benefit of a low sugar exposure occurs during foetal life. that is the best estimate, i think there is no doubt that in the nine months before we are born, as foetuses, we are exposed to an environment and we sampled that environment. it is well described, in a huge literature to which this paper now adds, that those exposures not only

influence how we grow before, but influence our health and well—being for many decades after we are born. as this paper shows, after we are born. as this papershows, right after we are born. as this paper shows, right the way through to the seventh or eighth decade. in through to the seventh or eighth decade.— through to the seventh or eighth decade. in very basic lamens terms, _ eighth decade. in very basic lamens terms, can - eighth decade. in very basic lamens terms, can you - eighth decade. in very basic. lamens terms, can you explain the science behind why that happens? what is it, biologically or scientifically, in terms of why you are more exposed and more susceptible? it's fair to say the exact mechanism is not clear. everybody has got their opinion. biologically, we all have genes and they are switched on and switch off throughout our life course. i have the same genes as when i was a foetus, but i look a lot different because they are switched on and off. 0ne different because they are switched on and off. one theory is the environment of the foetus is exposed to switches

on and off genes with health of locations before and after birth. as children, we adopt a lifestyle 1528 00:16:11,062 -->