Raids after university visa probe

6 October 2011 Last updated at 18:59 The pressure is mounting on the people in charge of the University of Wales after five universities said they wanted the title scrapped

The UK Border Agency (UKBA) says it has raided premises as part of an operation launched in response to a BBC Wales investigation into a student visa scam.

It was revealed overseas students were being made offers to cheat their way to University of Wales (UoW) degrees and UK graduate work visas.

A UKBA spokesperson said it could not comment further until the information gathered had been processed.

The University of Wales said earlier it wanted to repair its "tarnished brand".

Welsh Secretary Cheryl Gillan said she supported the UKBA's decision to look into the "worrying allegations relating to the University of Wales and colleges and students abusing the visa system".

"The UK government has a robust process for dealing with such allegations, if proven," she added.

Five universities said they were "appalled" after the scam was exposed and said the University of Wales no longer had the right to use the name.

But the institution's vice-chancellor Prof Medwin Hughes said he wanted to repair the name and not ditch it.

Welsh Conservative education spokesperson Angela Burns is calling for former UoW vice-chancellor Prof Marc Clement, now president, to accept "complete responsibility for what happened on his watch".

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There are actually two investigations under way at the moment following our revelations.

One is the UK Border Agency investigation which has now resulted in the raid of premises.

The second is an investigation being carried out by CID at Scotland Yard, specifically in Hounslow, London.

Detectives are looking into an issue which was actually referred to them by the University of Wales. They called Scotland Yard after we went to them with our evidence.

They're looking at one of the partner colleges of the University of Wales in Hounslow where three members of staff were suspended and one of them resigned. All of them deny any wrongdoing.

But the UK Border Agency is the one that may have the most repercussions because it's looking at the totality of what we exposed in our investigation.

"And I think he needs to be accountable for that. He needs to explain to us and to the staff and students at the Uni of Wales what went on. The buck stops with him," she said.

"If he is proven to be negligent he should absolutely go.

"We need to hear what he has to say and, depending on what he says, [it] will become very clear what his position should be and how tenable that is."

UoW vice-chancellor Prof Medwin Hughes said he was committed to cleaning up the institution's "tarnished" brand.

'Quality and standards'

"The University of Wales is going through transformational change," he said.

"The transformed university will be built upon strong governance and will have an uncompromising regard to quality and standards.

"Wales needs strong brands."

The vice-chancellors of Aberystwyth, Cardiff, Bangor, Glamorgan and Swansea universities - which are not members of the UoW - have put pressure on the UoW, saying they will not accept it in its current form.

They added that its activities were damaging the reputation of higher education in Wales as a whole, while Bangor University's vice-chancellor Prof John Hughes revealed his institution had lost business over the UoW's "toxic brand".

Colleges worldwide

Senior Plaid Cymru politician Dafydd Elis-Thomas, who is president of Bangor University, has written to Education Minister Leighton Andrews, calling for the abolition of the University of Wales title as soon as possible.

The revelations came after the university, an institution since 1893, announced it would stop validating courses at all other institutions in the UK and abroad.

It means what is currently the second largest university in the UK, with 70,000 students on its courses in 130 colleges worldwide, will become one of the smallest in Wales from next September.

It will now have just two small universities in south west Wales - Swansea Metropolitan University and Trinity Saint David.

Week In Week Out: Cash For Qualifications was broadcast on BBC One Wales on Wednesday 5 October at 20:30 BST. It can be viewed on the BBC iPlayer.

Rooney Sr held in betting probe

6 October 2011 Last updated at 18:34 Wayne Rooney Sr and Steve Jennings were arrested by Merseyside Police Nine men, including Wayne Rooney's father, who were arrested in a probe into betting irregularities have been released on bail.

Wayne Rooney Sr and seven other men had been held at addresses in Merseyside. Motherwell FC player Steve Jennings had been arrested at his home in Glasgow.

Police said the men had been arrested for conspiracy to defraud.

The probe relates to alleged betting irregularities surrounding a game between Motherwell and Hearts.

Concerns about the game, on 14 December 2010, were raised by the Association of British Bookmakers after a number of bets from the Liverpool area were placed on there being a sending off.

During the match Jennings, who had already been booked, was shown a straight red card for foul and abusive language aimed at referee Stevie O'Reilly late in the 2-1 home defeat.

'Suspicious betting'

The 26-year-old, who is from Liverpool and joined Motherwell from Tranmere two years ago, has denied any wrongdoing.

It is believed that Manchester United and England striker Rooney's uncle Richie, 54, was also among those detained.

Stewart Regan, SFA chief executive, said: "While the investigation involves several other individuals outwith Scotland, it is important to stress that the evidence gathered throughout this thorough period of investigation has involved only one Scottish match.

Interview - SFA chief executive Stewart Regan

"Motherwell FC are aware of the situation and will issue a response in due course."

In a statement, Merseyside Police said: "Detectives have today executed warrants at 10 addresses across Merseyside and Glasgow and arrested nine men as part of an investigation into suspicious betting activity.

"The arrests are the culmination of a joint operation with the Gambling Commission and the nine who have been arrested for conspiracy to defraud are being interviewed by detectives.

"Those arrested are a 29-year-old from Bootle, a 48-year-old from West Derby, a 54-year-old from Norris Green, a 26-year-old from Croxteth, a 22-year-old from Kirkdale, a 31-year-old from Litherland, a 68-year-old from Fazakerley, a 36-year-old from Kirkby and a 26-year-old from Glasgow.

"The investigation relates to a match between Motherwell and Hearts on December 14 2010."

Police probe sex attack on woman

1 January 2011 Last updated at 10:23 A woman was sexually assaulted while walking alone in Epsom.

The woman was attacked by a man in West Hill between 0130 and 0230 GMT on Friday.

Earlier, at 0930 GMT, two teenage girls called police after being followed by a man in Chantilly Way. Police believe the two incidents may be linked.

The suspect is described as a white man aged in his 50s or 60s, who spoke with a London accent. He was wearing a dark tracksuit with a yellow logo.

Det Con Tracy Maclean, of Surrey Police, urged people not to walk home alone following a night out.

She said: "Think of alternatives to walking home, would ordering a licensed taxi be a better option?

"Or could someone you know and has not been drinking alcohol give you a lift or pick you up?"

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