Will Justice be Seen?

The long awaited announcement concerning those to be prosecuted for 'phone hacking' came today.  Former editors of the Murdoch press, Rebekah Brookes, a friend of Prime Minister Cameron, Andy Coulson, an ex 'Director of Communications' for the Prime Minister, and several others, including one private detective who has already done time for phone hacking, are now up for prosecution.  The world rejoices!

The scandal came to light when a murdered young girl had her phone hacked by someone believed to be working for a media source, allegedly.  This fooled the parents of the missing girl into believing she was still alive, when she was in fact long dead.  Public outcry forced the Prime Minister to begin the Leaveson inquiry, which I suspect he hoped would be a whitewash of his friends.  Instead the cat is out of the bag in many ways.  The closeness of the present and former Prime Ministers to the press was no surprise, politicians wished the press on their side believing this brought votes.  However the depth of corruption between the police, and the Metropolitan Police in particular shocked people, (The 'Met' is the London Police Force). None were surprised at some connection but the extent was a revelation, a surprising closeness between those at the top of the police and News International, the largest news agency in the UK, and more may arise yet. None would be shocked at the depth of phone hacking and dirty tricks used by the media, and the extent was allegedly huge. The media will do anything to expose peoples private lives and many of those hacked were celebrities, all 'research concerned their private lives alone most likely. Now this will be brought before the courts and the public await with baited breath the results of this investigation. Almost all defendants have already claimed they were innocent of any crime, and will defend themselves 'vigorously!

It has to be said that most of the hacking appears to be directed towards celebrities private lives.  We are not talking here about 'journalism' exposing crime, wrong doing, or things, as the say, that were 'in the public interest,' as those would indeed be justifiable.  The desperate search for individuals sex secrets is what matters to tabloid editors.  'Journalism,' the investigation into important stories, does not sell tabloid papers.  

Andy Coulson, a trusted confidant of the PM, left his job editing the 'News of the World,' to join Cameron after one of his men had been jailed for phone hacking, a criminal offence.  Cameron believed Coulson when he said he knew nothing about it.  Good Human Resources work there Dave!  Possibly the 'Eton Boy' liked the fact that Coulson lost an industrial tribunal case after bullying a sports reporter.  That cost the company £800,000.  I suppose Dave thought that a laugh!  Oh and while he has been charged in this instance, he has also been charged with 'perjury' by Strathclyde Police.  I wonder when that will come to court?  Oh yes and while working for Cameron News International were still paying him!  Not that this would affect his judgement in any way of course.  

Rebekah Brookes, who has a house near Cameron's private home in the Cotswald's, cannot be said to be a fragile lassie.  She has managed to worm her way up the ladder of News International, she has edited her friend Rupert's biggest selling papers, 'The Sun,' and the 'News of the World.'  She has been horse riding with the PM near home, cultivating friendships maybe and has launched many a campaign in her papers, hopefully successful and cash productive for her titles.  One such campaign was 'Violence against women!'  This her paper claimed was 'nasty,' 'repugnant,' behaviour, and men ought to 'stop hitting their wives.'  This was of course somewhat one sided as such campaigns always are.  She ignored the many men who suffer violence from their spouses, at least she did until the campaign suddenly ceased.  It ceased when she herself was charged with assaulting her then husband, TV hard man Ross kemp!  They divorced!  Her campaign against sex offenders led to many innocent men being attacked and near riots in some areas, including one where a Pediatrician had her house, which featured a nameplate giving her name and job description on a brass plate at the door, attacked by a mob thinking she abused children!  'The Sun' reader, at their best!   

The readership of the papers reflect the people who write them. Immoral, uncaring, lacking a moral standard.  Journalists investigating news which is relevant and 'in the public interest,' can only be a good thing and a 'must' for a free press. What matters here was something else, the need to give the public what the public wants. The public does not wish for journalism, the public wants scandal and sex stories. Nothing beats a female teacher having it away with a fifteen year old, unless it is a film/pop/football star who has been playing away with a slapper. A politician on the make sells some papers, but in the end sex sells best! That is what keeps the media alive, whether true or not, and that will continue unless proper controls come in. The present 'press Complaints Commission,' (PCC) has long been seen as friends of the press. Public complaints, if ever upheld, make not the slightest difference. The media just gets away with almost anything. Those that dare to go to court face much opposition and even victory does not stop the bile being thrown at them. the much maligned (and that is his own fault) John terry reflects this. A new independent PCC is required (and I would love to run that!) Leavason might well suggest this, but much opposition, and embarrassing headlines await any government that attempts to force one on the media. It is to be questioned whether any government has the guts to stand up to the press, although with some sections of the public on their sides now is indeed the time!

We await the trials, we await the judgement,  we await the rebuke for breaking the law by talking about it probably.  We await the facts being revealed for all to see, and we await the new press laws and Press Complaints commission that will end the 'licence' that allows the media to run riot now. 

Press freedom comes with press responsibility! 

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Saturday Musings

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Daily Mail

Car accidents happen, even the best make mistakes and at speed this can lead to pain and sometimes death.  For many years now all governments have emphasised the importance of not drinking and driving.  The breathaliser and the modern equivalents have helped reduce the number of accidents, saved lives and to please government, saved millions of pounds in clearing up the mess.  Sadly some fail to respond and this car shows the result when one young man decides to drive after entering a car while unfit. The short journey home was taken at high speed while veering unsteadily in the road. A couple walking home from the same restaurant where the driver had been drinking were run down by the car and both received fatal injuries. He is estimated to have been doing around 60 at the time of the accident in a 30 mph built up area. 

My point is simple. It is imperative that judges sentencing a man found guilty, as indeed this driver was quickly proved to be, are treated fairly and mercy must be included while sentence is declared. However there is also a need to ensure that justice, not vengeance, is done, but is seen to be done.  In this instance we have two people dead, they leave behind three grown children and it must be said they will not want for money, houses in that area begin at around the £3 million mark. However they have lost their parents, their lives are suddenly and cruelly changed for ever, and money does not compensate for the loss of a loved one.  Therefore I question the sentence passed on this driver. He was jailed for seven years, and the judge insisted he must serve at least half that sentence. This, it must be said, is not an uncommon sentence in such situations, and my point is to question what this says about the nation today?  

Do we really consider three and a half years jail plus a seven year driving ban, served probably in an 'open prison,' to be sufficient in the circumstances? Remember I am not looking for 'vengeance' here, but 'justice' tinged with mercy. Two people are dead, gone forever into God's hands and lost to their family who must endure this loss, and it would appear that human life is now regarded as worth a mere three and a half years in jail. In fact as two died they are only worth half that! Surely human life is worth more?  Some indeed would say financial crime leads to longer sentencing! I watched a footballer dancing around after scoring a goal last week.  He also had got drunk, smashed his Mercedes into another car, killed a man, robbed a wife of her husband and her young children of their father. He even ran away after the accident, a very serious thing to do, but received a mere six years in jail. He served three and returned to his footballing career, earning I guess around £7000 a week at that time.  He may earn less today as he ages slowly but how does the widow and her brood feel when he dances around as they struggle to survive?  Human life in Britain does not appear to be worth that much these days.  


Surely such an accident should receive a longer sentence, surely more consideration is deserved for the victims?  Surely we have our priorities wrong in so many ways today.  Terrorists can receive between twenty five and forty year sentences, often without actually killing someone, how then can a drunk driver get so little?  I have no problem with a man making a good living after sentence has been served, I do however have a major problem with sentences that do not fit the crime.  I realise that each one of us could at any moment lose control, whether of a car or at work or in the home and death could result. We all share the same weak frame and that is why courts must understand both the nature of the crime, the cause and the damage left to the victim and their family. I am not convinced this occurs today.
     

                         

Sad to say that Robert Robinson has passed away. Robinson came to my attention while hosting the world's greatest quiz, 'Brain of Britain,' and the erudite talk show 'Stop the Week,' both on Radio 4. His ability to make the contestants on the quiz feel at ease, no matter their background, and cheerful manner enabled this powerful contest to fairly fly towards a conclusion.  Even without him it remains the top quality programme although nobody can run it as smoothly as he.  'Stop the Week' was more controversial.  Seen by some as a talking shop for the chattering classes, it was criticised by those very chattering classes themselves, revealing that a nerve must have been touched quite often. Often spoofed as smug and middle class by smug, middle class comedians Robinson continued to broadcast into his eighties when illness made this no longer possible. He died yesterday in St Mary's Hospital in London, a sad loss to British Broadcasting, middle class or not.   

Dave seeking inspiration for his next PR disaster.

Good old 'Dave.'  He is working hard to fulfill the saying, 'Don't open your mouth and put both feet in as you will not have a leg to stand on.'  His latest gaff is to stand in the House of Commons and inform the world that the Metropolitan Police were failing to handle the riots until he returned early from holiday! He was backed up on this by his Home Secretary Theresa May, who as you know does a very good female impersonation. The police reaction was swift, '"Rubbish!" they said!  The constabulary realised, they admit, that their tactics were failing, adding this was not aided by having too few officers to deal with the troubles, they amended their tactics and took control, as much as was possible in the circumstances.  'Dave was to busy drinking Italian espresso to help out himself.  'Dave,' and his desire to be seen as responsible for the improvement, has alienated himself even more from the police while still insisting on cutting their numbers, in spite of the situation during the last few days.


Not only but also!  Yes indeed he has gone further!  This time he wishes to make an American head of the Met!  Has this man's desire for show no end?  Some famous Yank Cop, who nobody has heard off, has been approached, without informing the police themselves, and informally offered the job as Commissioner!  This produced a one word comment from a senior officer, "Stupid!"  He is right you know! Listening to the methods of foreign policemen is indeed worth the time, but asking someone from a completely different justice system to take control leaves not only the impression that the London police are incompetent but that 'Dave' has no idea what he is talking about.
Actually, that last bit might well be right!