Sunday 6 May 2012

BBC, Guns, Constables and Lenny Harper.

Just recently BBC Jersey and the rest of Jersey's State Media have been on a campaign, it would appear, to ensure the police force get their wish and are issued with Taser Guns. They also appear to be air-brushing former Deputy Chief Police Officer Lenny Harper out of the History Books in the process.


If memory serves correct it all started with the discredited, and disgraced, Jersey Evening Post (Jersey's only "news"paper) publishing statistics of gun ownership in Jersey. The equally discredited and disgraced BBC were quick to jump on the band-wagon and the scaremongering began. (or "Operation let's get the cops their taser guns").


The BBC started their propaganda scaremongering by making a big noise about the police fire-arms unit being called to an incident where somebody had been stabbed. The fire-arms unit, it has been reported, included officers armed with semi automatic rifles among other weapons.


The Roger Bara Breakfast Show was telling its listeners all about this stabbing and it wasn't long before people were phoning in talking about "knife culture" and what a number of us believe to be racist remarks from callers insinuating it (the knife culture) came from European Immigrants.


Regular readers will know that I am regularly prevented from taking part in the BBC's shows but did send in this e-mail (below) to the Roger Bara Show which was ignored.


"Roger.

It is unfortunate that the news reporting of yesterday's incident appears to have created a bit of hysteria about knives and knife culture. To the best of my knowledge the police have not reported what weapon was used yesterday. They have said somebody was stabbed and any number of items can be used in stabbings. Including screwdrivers, pens and pencils and the like. Considering the alleged victim was released from hospital, within an hour or two, one would suggest he was not stabbed with a knife, or if it was, he was stabbed very gently with a very small knife. You might want to make it clear to your listeners that the police have not said a knife was used?"(END).

Of course, it turned out that the guy was stabbed with a "screwdriver", not only that, despite the anti-european remarks from callers to the show, the perpetrator is allegedly from Liverpool. Not only that, but the police turned up armed to the teeth with semi automatic rifles and the like, for somebody armed with a screwdriver! Yet Roger, rather than read out the e-mail, was happy for his listeners to believe a knife had been used.

Then we had Matthew Price interviewing the Home Affairs Minister, Senator Ian Le Marquand, about the amount of guns on the island. Senator Le Marquand was defending the gun culture, and was also defending the Parish Constables. Matthew also interviewed gun enthusiast Derek Bernard who too was defending the gun culture and the Parish Constables. Both guests were telling us how responsible the Parish Constables are and this went un-challenged (what's new?) as there was no guest with an opposing view and Matthew Price appeared woefully ill researched.

The fact is Lenny Harper had brought up the subject ,of what appears to be an unhealthy cache of weapons, held by people on the island, which calls into question the logic, competence and judgment of the Parish Constables.

Lenny Harper was castigated by a number of politicians for attempting to get the gun culture under better control, yet Matthew didn't mention this on his show, so I sent in the e-mail below to help add some balance to, what was a very bias show, which had only interviewed two people, both (as mentioned earlier) defending the gun culture and Constables.


"Matthew.

This short piece from the sworn affidavit of former DCO Lenny Harper should demonstrate that what ILM had to say about guns being from collectors and there being robust checks and balances from the constables is complete poppy-cock.


"One man applied for a firearm and ammunition for the purpose of ‘pest control.’  The firearm in question is classified as for the purpose of hunting large game such as elk.
Another family in an outlying parish were known to have twenty 
high powered and semi automatic weapons in a cellar on their property.  They also had thousands of rounds of ammunition.  When visited by SOJ Police officers they were also found to have six months supply of tinned food and bottled water.  They said they were waiting for word from God.  The Connetable refused to revoke the certificate.
One man whom we had found had built up an arsenal of weapons was first granted a certificate in 1985.  In 1992 he was convicted of Possessing a Prohibited weapon, supplying controlled drugs and other crimes.  In 1993 he tried to purchase a shotgun whilst prohibited by the law.  In 1995 intelligence was received that he was supplying controlled drugs.  In 1996 he applied for and was granted a new firearms certificate by the Connetable.  In 2006 he held the following weapons:

1 x .30 semi automatic carbine* 
2 x  7.62 semi automatic rifles*
1 x 7.62 bolt action rifle
1 x  .303 bolt action rifle
1 x  5.56 semi automatic rifle* – as used the British Army
5 x .357 Magnum handguns
2 x  9x21 self loading pistol
1 x 9x19 semi automatic carbine* - similar to that used by the Police
1 x Pump action shotgun
2 x Semi automatic shotguns*
1 x .50 revolver **; and
1 x .50 rifle **

183,000 rounds of ammunition for the above weapons"(END)

Again this e-mail was ignored, not read out, it totally contradicted what Ian Le Marquand was saying. What right thinking, responsible Constable, is going to allow somebody to own a gun, for "pest control", when the gun is capable of, and used for, killing an Elk? A question that Matthew Price didn't want to ask his listeners. An alleged Drug Dealer granted a firearms licence, by a "responsible" Constable, that includes semi automatic shot-guns and rifles? A family armed to the teeth who said "they were waiting for the word from God?" Yet Matthew Price mentioned not a single word of it.

An e-mail exchange followed between myself and Editor of BBC Jersey Jon Gripton. He was asked why such a bias show was allowed to be aired and why my e-mail (that added balance) was not read out. He refused to answer the question(s) and has refused me permission to publish his e-mails.

Could it be that the truth is Lenny Harper has been totally vindicated on the stance he took with Jersey's gun culture but the State Media can't allow him to be seen as the good guy because he, (along with his team), was the one who exposed Jersey's Child Abuse Atrocities? Could it be the island's State Media are all "on message" to make sure the cops get their Taser guns? Why do the BBC keep their listeners so ignorant of the facts and evidence?

Readers are encouraged to read the sworn affidavit of Former DCO Harper which contains more revelations and statistics concerning guns. It contains much more besides that you won't be learning about from the State Media and can be read HERE


Readers are also encouraged to ask why BBC State Radio are happy to keep so much information from the public......including the submission to the Wiltshire Constabulary of Former Police Chief GRAHAM POWER QPM











24 comments:

  1. The trust of the island's mainstream media was lost a long time ago and why more people are getting their news from the blogs.

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    Replies
    1. Readers may also wish to watch and listen to Professor John Robertson giving evidence to the Scottish Parliament Committee:

      Thought control in a democracy

      Professor John Robertson of the University of the West of Scotland said there had been collusion among Scotland's mainstream media and he condemned fellow academics for not supporting his work, saying it amounted to "thought control" in a democracy.

      Professor Robertson, a media researcher with 30 years' academic experience, is a supporter of independence and describes himself as a socialist, a pacifist, a feminist and an anti-imperialist.

      He rejects the SNP because it supports Nato membership and accuses Scottish Labour of being "fatally corrupt".

      He told a Holyrood committee: "I am sorry if this seems a bit dramatic, over-the-top, but it's been a very stressful month. I would like to condemn the silence and collusion of almost all of Scotland's mainstream media in suppressing my research despite its massive online presence. Its online presence is a news item which has been ignored; I have my suspicions but I don't know for certain.

      "I would like to condemn the silence of almost all Scottish academics with an interest in this field who might have been expected to challenge censorship of intellectual material.

      "I have been personally hurt by the above combination of threat from a powerful institution, there's been no horse's head in my bed yet, I suppose that's something.

      "I interpret the above as an attempt at thought control in a democracy and of all democracies the one I like the best and I am very upset by that."

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  2. "He refused to answer the question(s) and has refused me permission to publish his e-mails."

    Can he legally do that? After all, if he has sent emails to you, can he legally prevent you from sharing them, because I would have thought that once the emails have been sent they belong to you?

    Can you not read them out in front of a camera, ommitting his address?

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  3. Zoompad.

    There probably is nothing he can do, legally, if I was to publish the e-mails but the fact that he doesn’t want them published, the fact that he refused to answer the questions in them, tells us enough.

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  4. Embarrass the idiot. Publish them. They were written to you and it's entirely up to you what you do with them.

    It does make you think what they have on Gripton, though. Wasn't he something at Sky before?

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  5. Perhaps the best way forward would be to invite Mr. Gripton on to our Blog TV Channel as a live guest?

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  6. Glad I'm not the only one who's spotted this. Of course you didn't mention the entirely one-sided write-up of the Scrutiny hearing on 27 April which Uncle Gripper put up.

    But then the whole rotten edifice of BBC journalism in Jersey was exposed a while ago here. 20 minutes to write a story is not journalism - it's copy-typing.

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  7. Jersey media is a hot topic, as always. In terms of the current debate on Rico's blog over the role of editors opposed to their reporters, I think there is some truth to both sides, but complicity is still complicity, even when your job is at risk. Otherwise, where do you draw a line against the corruption of yourself?

    One can easily visualize the role of a Gripton in preventing the broadcast of any thorough investigative reporting of sensitive findings by an eager and well-meaning journalist, but the reporter who eventually agrees to capitulate to the unethical standards of the employer is not so different from the head of a media outlet who capitulates to, or even actively supports, the corrupt politicos.

    I think there was an older newspaper story reposted here within the past year or so, illustrating one reporter's foray into the Jersey Way. He described how during the course of his employment on the Island, he had experienced pressure from his media bosses against his attempts to do any real investigative work that might be less than flattering to the Jersey Way.

    It might be time to repost that story.

    Even if we are sympathetic to individual reporters who feel "forced" to capitulate in this way, why would that differ from the moral and ethical choice made by the editor, the hospital worker, the care home staff or the backbencher who finally goes along with the coverup of corruption? Almost all, in the end, will claim they were "only following orders" or that they "didn't know" the truth. History lessons not learnt.

    All in the media who simply go along with what they know to be against all internationally accepted professional principles must by now dread having to eventually answer harsh public questions about the role they played. The Jersey mainstream media will of course be exposed to the world because it provides such a simple and grievous example of the importance of ethical journalism, and how bloggers carried that heavy responsibility in a Channel Island where no other checks and balances existed.

    Values are values. We are known by those we uphold.

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  8. That is why I will cross the road for no man in Jersey. I, like others, have stood up and been counted. There are those that do and there are those that do nothing. We have exposed the Jersey Media for what it is.

    I will never ever bow down to pressure from the toxic sc*m never.

    Jersey is my Island. I love my Island.

    People try and distract me but they don't know me. If they did they would know how futile there comments are. Our Island needs saving.

    Make no mistake. I will never stop

    rs

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  9. The Jersey Today link doesn't work.

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  10. Hi VFC,

    Ians' op was successful,he is in quite a bit of pain and discomfort still, but is looking forward to returning home and getting stuck into our lawless judiciary.

    His phone is now back on.

    cyril

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  11. To the poster at 6 May 2012 18:46

    The link re the journalist who wanted to stick his head above the parapet can be found here

    The Beano is not the Rag

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  12. To the poster at 6 May 2012 18:46

    The link re the journalist who wanted to stick his head above the parapet can be found here

    The Beano is not the Rag

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  13. I have been informed I have iron deficiency anemia - all those horrendous and pointless ops performed on me as a kid through sra etc have taken their tole on me. Justice is so necessary

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  14. From the link posted by The Beano Is Not The Rag, a quote on the local media by former Jersey journalist, Patrick Muirhead:

    "Jersey is entrenched in a concealment culture dating from its wartime Nazi collaboration, reinforced by its shadowy banking industry and confirmed by its new notoriety as a cradle for rampant paedophilia. In such a whisper world, the only audible sound is the gentle rustle of nests being feathered. There are simply too many there with too much to lose."

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  15. Jersey's culture of concealment

    By Patrick Muirhead

    From The Times
    April 24, 2008

    They have a saying on the island of Jersey: “If you don't like it, there's always a boat in the morning.” Four years ago I gladly took those directions - by air, if not by sea - and departed the island and, in so doing, also my TV news career.

    After seven years as a BBC Radio 4 newsreader, I was briefly the anchorman of the nightly local ITV news in the Channel Islands, an experience etched in my memory as dismal, embarrassing and shaming. I was shackled from pursuing any punchy journalism in a laughably amateurish TV outfit for fear of upsetting the station's friends, outmanoeuvred by an ambitious co-host and unwelcome in an island where I was an outsider.

    The implicit message in the morning boat maxim is that Jersey islanders do not entertain criticism or complaint. And that is how we arrive at the unsurprising revelation that institutional child abuse was covered up for all those years.

    Now, as the sinister layers of the island's secrets are unpeeling, and the awkward questions I wished were mine are being asked, I wonder how differently the lives of those at Haut de la Garenne might have been if the media had done its job.

    In an island of 90,000 souls, one is only removed from another by the smallest step of separation. The island's Chief Minister, Frank Walker, had a cameraman son at the TV channel where I worked; a senior politician's mistress was a TV reporter on the island. My co-host's home became a popular salon for politicians and decision-makers. In such an atmosphere of closeness, any meaningful challenge becomes impossible. “You rub people up the wrong way,” she said, primly dismissing my methods.

    After I left, my integrity, professional ability and popularity were trashed by a hostile and defensive Jersey media and island population. It is the aggressive defensiveness of Jersey people that may undo any attempt to reconcile the past wrongdoing at Haut de la Garenne. The unwillingness to invite outsiders to probe or criticise is almost insurmountable.

    Jersey is entrenched in a concealment culture dating from its wartime Nazi collaboration, reinforced by its shadowy banking industry and confirmed by its new notoriety as a cradle for rampant paedophilia. In such a whisper world, the only audible sound is the gentle rustle of nests being feathered. There are simply too many there with too much to lose.

    If Jersey stands any chance of rebuilding the public's shattered affection for an isle of flowers and sandy shores, Bergerac and pretty dairy cattle, there must be expiation, demonstrable remorse and a change in the island's executive.

    Perhaps more importantly there should be change in the media that failed to hold the powers to account. Because when the voices of the vulnerable are not heard by authority, the influence of an attentive media is perhaps their last hope. The frightened children incarcerated at Haut de la Garenne must have dreamt that they too could board that boat in the morning.

    (this is reposted from the story by Patrick Muirhead, using the link provided, above)

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  16. Mr. Muirhead seems to have it spot on.

    Not least with this paragraph.

    "After I left, my integrity, professional ability and popularity were trashed by a hostile and defensive Jersey media and island population. It is the aggressive defensiveness of Jersey people that may undo any attempt to reconcile the past wrongdoing at Haut de la Garenne. The unwillingness to invite outsiders to probe or criticise is almost insurmountable."

    Those who have fought for the truth, and justice, concerning the decades of Child Abuse Atrocities have been vilified by the State Media. Until there is a root and branch "independent" Committee of Enquiry (including the State Media's role) Jersey will be tarred with the cover-up brush.

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  17. Deputy Jeremy Macon, Chairman of Education and Home Affairs Scrutiny Panel is the confirmed LIVE guest this Thursday 10th may at 7pm HERE

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  18. The BBC2 programme
    www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01h7m8r/This_World_The_Shame_of_the_Catholic_Church/
    is only available to watch online about one more day.

    Perhaps someone with the technical know how could put it on utube?

    A devastating tale of how an all powerful authority thinks that it is capable of policing itself.

    Jersey is more backward though, it is still covering up, sacking good police chiefs and trying to restrict or cancel public enquiries.

    If you wash it CLEAN you only have to wash it ONCE !
    - don't go repeating the mistakes of the past !

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  19. What was allowed to go on in Ireland is a mirror image of Jersey, but as the commenter said, Jersey "is still covering up, sacking good police chiefs and trying to restrict or cancel public enquiries." Which makes Jersey worse.

    There was a Panorama programme about Lord Ashcroft and the Turks and Caicos Island's not so long ago that too was a mirror image of Jersey. If the British Government can step in and restore the rule of law in the T&C's islands it beggars belief why they haven't stepped in over here.

    One other mirror image of Jersey is the film "Hot Fuzz." Readers are encouraged to watch the above link.

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  20. Yes it must be a hoax and consists of inaccuracies.

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