Sunday 23 January 2011

Congratulations CTV, but what about ALL the “facts?”

Channel Television have just won a regional programme of the year award for, by the looks of it, copying and pasting parts of a Report carried out by the Wiltshire Constabulary, and ignoring ACPO.

One of the first people to congratulate CTV was former Deputy Chief Officer of the States of Jersey Police and Senior Investigating Officer of "Operation Rectangle Lenny Harper (re-produced below). Although Lenny spells out some “facts” there are a few that he could have added. The fact that Gradwell and Warcup spent more on “Operation Rectangle” than he did, to the tune of more than HALF A MILLION QUID. How the hell did they manage that? And ultimately he was not responsible for the expenditure. Perhaps CTV will be interviewing Steven Austin Vautier or Frank Walker about their involvement and accountability?


Letter from Lenny Harper to CTV.

Dear Sir/Madam,


Congratulations to Channel Television on winning the Regional Programme of the year for the programme on the Wiltshire report into the Management of the Historic Abuse Enquiry. It is a great pity that you did not check the facts or you would have had a really good story. Let me clarify a few points for you. I will deal with them in the order they appear in the story.


“Officers clocked up hundreds of hours overtime.” Show me a major enquiry anywhere in the world where officers do not have to work long hours. It is the nature of the job. There were hundreds of victims and many more witnesses. Did Wiltshire and Channel Television want officers to work to rule and only complete eight hours a day? I remember the fuss from CTV and others because I gave officers a Sunday off during the early days of the enquiry. By the way, did Wiltshire work only eight hours a day during the investigation which led to the long overdue and hugely expensive report of which something like only ten per cent ever saw the light of day? I think not.


The first class flight to Australia. How many times is this nonsense going to be resurrected? Let me make one thing clear first of all. This trip was carried out in perfect accordance with States rules on long haul flights, and the relevant regulations can be found at paragraph 2.5 of the States Travel Policy. Have a look at the trips carried out by States members and Civil Servants to long haul destinations. You will find that NONE of them have travelled economy. Let me once again explain that on 28th May 2008 I submitted a full report to Frank Walker through Steven Austen-Vaughtier which explained all the circumstances of this trip, (which incidentally led directly to the conviction of a child abuser who received a jail sentence.) I will summarise some of the main points in the report.


· The initial quote for the flights was £7,879 for Business Class including the five hour flight from Perth to Brisbane. This was by Emirate Airlines who were by far the cheapest option. However, when it came to making the booking the only option was to return first class at an additional cost of £700. To offset this, the officers opted to fly the five hour journey from Perth to Brisbane by economy class, which meant that the first class journey on the return leg only cost £122 more. Again this was offset by the free chauffer services which saved a further £86. Net cost, £36. Furthermore, whilst away, the officers took NO rest days thus saving on a further eight days hotel and food costs. This was despite lengthy interviews with emotional and nervous victims.


My report to Walker and Austen-Vaughtier not only contained a full explanation of the trip but also had attached receipts and a full daily itinerary. The report followed a meeting with Mr Austen Vaughtier and the female head of Finance, during which they fully agreed that the costs of the trip were properly incurred and totally justified. I received through the Accounting Officer the confirmation that Frank Walker had also agreed the costs were within the States Policy and fully justified, although I could almost hear his teeth grating. Isn’t it strange how all this was forgotten when I retired and left the island and the subject of the Australian trip was raised again? Mind you, Frank Walker has had a faulty memory on a lot of things involving the SOJ Police in the past few years.


Not for the first time, my instincts told me that desperate and dishonest attempts would be made to distort the truth of this, and I therefore kept a copy of the report to Frank Walker and the attachments which went with it. Anyone interested in seeing it need only ask, as the details have already been widely discussed incorrectly in the media.


Next, were the “unnecessary trips to London.” There were trips to London for three reasons as I recall. Firstly to interview victims and witnesses, and then record statements. Secondly, to arrange and secure the loan of specialist equipment from the Metropolitan Police such as the sifting machine which was borrowed from Scotland Yard free of charge and at a saving of many thousands of pounds. Thirdly, there were the trips to a department of the Met which advises on the operational security of investigations, both physical and other types of security. Not only was advice given, but Met officers visited the incident room at Jersey and carried out security surveys. Again, all free of charge. The officers from the department concerned at the Yard were all interviewed and provided full information on the services they provided. Funny how none of their statements have ever been mentioned.


And then of course, the revelation that visiting officers were put up in four star hotels in Jersey and in particular the “L’Horizon.” No mention of the fact that because of the hard work of our Admin staff and the fact that we were out of the tourist season and able to guarantee room occupancy, we actually only paid £70 a night at the hotel mentioned. How many States members and Civil Servants stay in hotels costing £70 a night when they go to the UK and other destinations on business? I can safely say that the answer, should CTV care to investigate will be none. Why, when you are at it, don’t you ask the SOJ Police to make the accounts for the hotels available? They will be revealing. Just where did Channel want us to accommodate officers living away from home and carrying out this difficult and important investigation? In tents?


One more thing I should add. Despite all of these allegations being aired as if true, and despite the several days and hours of fully tape-recorded interviews and statements that Wiltshire obtained from me, NOT ONCE was I ever asked by them about any of the above. Why not? Perhaps as part of their efforts to win the same award next year, Channel Television might ask them. They might also ask what expenses they incurred during their enquiry which I would venture to suggest was not nearly a fraction of the importance to the victims of the horrific abuse meted out by people working for the government of Jersey to innocent children.


Leonard Harper


South Ayrshire (End)

There is enough in this letter to keep any "journalist" busy for years should they want, or be allowed to get, "the truth", They could learn how to attempt this from some Bloggers.  But one can't help focusing on the last paragraph, where I believe the former DCO appears to be asking, "how can you put a price on bringing Child Abusers to court?" Furthermore I would question the ethics of the "accredited" media for actually giving awards out for it!!

One must also remember that there are, at least, two sides to every story, so why didn't the Wiltshire Constabulary ask Lenny Harper for his side of this "story". Just as importantly, why didn't the award winning CTV ask him for it? We know CTV's interpretation of "Entirely Accurate" and trust they will abandon it in this instance and report the FULL story.

27 comments:

  1. Thanks for that Lenny

    I loose track of all the information that's in the public domain.

    Still they must be right

    10% of Wiltshire and its all over

    lol

    NOT

    rs

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  2. Thank you for your enlightening letter. I can now understand what you have been fighting for so long. You so wisely followed your intuition and proceeded cautiously with matters like expenses and followed the letter of the procedures laid down within your remit within the uniformed services but they (CTV) did not want report on that course of action you took because it so obviously did not fit their agenda.

    The establishment were trying to paint you in the same light as a former Senator (years ago) who fell foul of the establishment and they poisoned his reputation with his electorate because he ate lobster. It had the desired affect before so it might have the desired affect again - they were so desperate to discredit you.

    The sheep/lemmings will follow the Establishment line of thinking. Thank goodness for non-accredited media and people like the Rt. Hon. John Bercow MP speaking up for the non-accredited media and bloggers and the role they have to play in our society by allowing ordinary citizens to find out the truth.





    he

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  3. Channel Television win an award for helping to trash a child abuse investigation and kick the abuse victims in the teeth again they must be so proud of themselves. Thank god for lenny Harper and Graham Power and thank god for Blogs like this telling us the full story.

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  4. THE PHONY AWARD:

    Please can you have a scan through this? Look at the people on the board, a quick scan through will tell you all you need to know about how and why that insulting award was given.

    http://zoompad.blogspot.com/2011/01/another-boot-in-face-for-survivors-of.html

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  5. Prince Charles is the patron of RTS. I wonder if he is aware of what RTS has done? I really think he ought to be informed of this disgraceful whitewashing attempt.

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  6. Unbelievable story.

    Does anyone on Jersey, other than bloggers, tell the truth?

    We in England are simply stunned by the lies your Government and press come out with.

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  7. Unfortunately if you want the facts of any story, that’s embarrassing or un-comfortable for our Government in Jersey then you’ll have to come to the Blogs. Graham Power QPM has written a 62,000 word document which is his case against the “findings” (allegations) contained in the Wiltshire Report, including the expenses. Channel Television can’t copy and paste that document for a “journalistic” award, because our Home Affairs Minister doesn’t want us to see it, and to the best of our knowledge NONE of our “accredited” media are asking for it. They are happy enough with publishing just the prosecution case against Lenny Harper and Graham Power, but don’t feel the need to publish any of the defence case, that’s how it works here in Jersey.

    However, I believe in the not too distant future you will be able to view that 62,000 word document on the Blogs……watch this space.

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  8. From Lenny's letter.

    "One more thing I should add. Despite all of these allegations being aired as if true, and despite the several days and hours of fully tape-recorded interviews and statements that Wiltshire obtained from me, NOT ONCE was I ever asked by them about any of the above. Why not? Perhaps as part of their efforts to win the same award next year, Channel Television might ask them."

    Good question - will you be asking it CTV?

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  9. Some more from Mr. Harper's letter.

    "My report to Walker and Austen-Vaughtier not only contained a full explanation of the trip but also had attached receipts and a full daily itinerary. The report followed a meeting with Mr Austen Vaughtier and the female head of Finance, during which they fully agreed that the costs of the trip were properly incurred and totally justified. I received through the Accounting Officer the confirmation that Frank Walker had also agreed the costs were within the States Policy and fully justified"

    So Walker, Austen-Vaughtier and another accounting officer all OK'd the expenditure and your media doesn't report that?

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  10. So not only does TLS and ILM get caught out by Blogs, now even Channel TV have been shown up and they have done it to themselves.

    Accredited media = controlled by the establishment

    Blogging media = the truth no matter how difficult to swallow

    Channel TV = puppet reporters with no journalist merit

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  11. A quick up-date.

    Lenny Harper has written to the body that gave CTV this award. He has forwarded on to them the letter (in the main posting) that he sent CTV and I re-produce it here. Should anybody else wish to make contact with these people their e-mail address is info@rts.org.uk

    Lenny Harper’s e-mail.

    Dear Sir/Madam:  You have recently awarded Channel Television the plaudit of best programme in the Regional Television Awards.  Whilst you may not be aware, the programme was a thinly disguised attempt to smear victims of horrific child abuse and those seeking to obtain justice for them, and was based on nothing but half truths and complete fabrications.  You might like to read the attached which corrects some of the easily contradicted, and verifiably so, inaccuracies.

    Leonard Harper.

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  12. Which begs the question what the heck was the competition that CTV beat with their pile of junk?

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  13. ''The report followed a meeting with Mr Austen Vaughtier and the female head of Finance, during which they fully agreed that the costs of the trip were properly incurred and totally justified. I received through the Accounting Officer the confirmation that Frank Walker had also agreed the costs were within the States Policy and fully justified"

    How would the above paragraph,
    ''if'' it had been included in the programme submitted, or as I suspect were it included the above programme could not of been made.

    And CTV win an award for programme of the year.

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  14. first the phoney OBE allegedly from the queen for big frank, now this rubbish from another royal. Are the royals just rubber stampers?

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  15. Napier report went on longer than it should have, why?, because there were people unavailable at times to be interviewed, (I guess saving costs was not to be considered, but dragging it out at all costs did!!) so I guess Mr napier had more visits/hotels/meals etc..,

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  16. Who and how was this news feature brought to the attention of the awards panel?
    Very odd that from all the features channel has reported on ,this was brought to the attention of the awards panel.
    Are the States of Jersey Communications unit now embedded in the JEP and other media outlets?
    They are keeping a very low profile these from the "Life Enriching"days.Have they taken a cut in staffing,or increased their numbers to go on the defensive against any negative commentators to the regime .

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  17. If it is not true then why isn't Lenny Harper suing? He could take them to the cleaners! Lenny? Why don't you sue???

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  18. It is starting to look as though the Jersey 'accredited' media is under some kind of dictorial coup!!

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  19. Anonymous at 0938. That would be productive wouldn't it? Suing the Jersey media in the Jersey courts!! What is your agenda?

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  20. I have to admit, that comment did give me a bit of a chuckle. The “accredited” media have been singing from our governments hymn sheet and our “alleged” politicised Judicial System giving Lenny a fair trial……just priceless.

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  21. "Anonymous at 0938. That would be productive wouldn't it? Suing the Jersey media in the Jersey courts!! What is your agenda?"

    You can bring a libel case to the UK courts. People all over the world do it because the chances of winning are much higher. Lenny should do that. He surely has a case and will win hands down.

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  22. Jersey is not part of the UK and as they made clear to Stuart Syvret, the UK courts would not look at any action enamating from Jersey until ALL avenues had been exhausted through the Jersey courts. Lenny Harper would be mad even to consider it. The Jersey courts would love it and he would get the same sort of "fair" hearing that Stuart has.

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  23. "Jersey is not part of the Uk."

    Precisely why Lenny could bring an action in the English courts. All he needs to do is prove his rep has been damaged in England and he can use libel laws there. Where the libel was committed makes no odds. Anyway, Stuart has a UK judge for his unfair dismissal hearing. I expect him to win that one!

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  24. The UK courts will NOT hear a case until all avenues have been explored in Jersey and the courts there have had the opportunity to deal (reject) with it. Channel TV, in any event do not broadcast in England, or even in Scotland where Lenny lives. No one in the UK will have seen the report - most of them will not even have heard of Channel Television.

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  25. I can't help thinking that all this nonsense about whether or not I and others should sue is diverting attention from the real issues. The fact remains that any legal action would need to begin in Jersey, and relying on the dysfunctional and dishonest jersey establishment system for a fair hearing is not on my list of must do things in retirement. Stuart had two UK judges in London and it was they who said the UK could not intervene until all Jersey courts had been given the opportunity to decide on it. As someone has said already, neither I nor anyone I know in Scotland or England were aware of the CTV report until I saw it on this blog. No one with the slightest bit of sense believes any of it anyway, and those seeking to discredit the victims and the suffering they had to endure are themselves now held to redicule. A far more important question would be how RTS came to be duped into giving this award to a programme which was made with zero investigative skills or effort. Hopefully we will find that out when they give a full reply to complaints about it as they have promised to do. Lenny Harper

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