Adrian Lynch.
On the night of the 4/5th of December 2015 twenty year old Adrian Lynch disappeared in the Carrefour Selous area of St Lawrence Jersey. Adrian had attended a works Christmas party at the Merton Hotel. It is now 5 months to the day Adrian was reported missing, he is still missing, and the questions surrounding the police investigation continue to mount.
In our PREVIOUS POSTING we questioned the official line, in particular, the police's apparent theory that Adrian could have developed hypothermia (on a mild winter's night) sought shelter (from what exactly)? and found shelter in a place where nobody could find him including apparently highly trained sniffer dogs. To the vast majority of people we have spoken with, the official line of the States of Jersey Police is not believed. This could be that the police's media strategy is flawed and they are not getting their message across to the public adequately. It could also mean that it is a bungled investigation that lacks money, resources, and experienced officers for this type of investigation. It might also mean there is some type of cover-up. Whatever the case the official police line does not stack up.
With that in mind Team Voice is turning its attention towards the police and its investigation. We have accumulated a number of questions from members of the public/readers of this Blog and elsewhere to put to the police and others. The questions will, after publication on here, be e-mailed to the police, and media, in the hope that they will be answered. We will, of course, publish any answers we get.
Questions surrounding the police investigation of missing person Adrian Lynch.
Why have the police resisted an Island-wide search for Adrian? Why has the search been limited to such a small area on such a small island? Adrian could have been on the other side of the island within 15-20 minutes.
Have the specialy trained sniffer dogs been out searching for Adrian other than within the first two weeks? If not why not?
Can the police confirm, or otherwise, that ALL the drivers in the area of the night Adrian went missing have now come forward and have been eliminated as suspects?
We know, along with all States Departments, that the police's budget has been cut. Has there been financial constraints on the search for Adrian? Is it that the police simply can't afford to find/investigate the disappearance of Adrian? If so why doesn't the Home Affairs Minister ask the States for more money? From the Criminal Offences Confiscation fund for instance.
Has the North coast of Jersey been thoroughly searched by land, sea, and air? If not why not?
When/how long before a missing person case becomes a possible abduction/murder/foul-play investigation?
DCI Lee Turner.
Are the police being reactive or proactive in this case? Are they looking for any leads or are they just waiting for them to land on their desks?
If Adrian’s surname was Bailhache, or Birt, would he still be missing and the case still unsolved?
Have the States of Jersey Police sought expert medical opinion on the probability of a young man of Adrian's age and condition becoming hypothermic given the prevailing weather conditions on the night he disappeared? Given the fact that every weekend night of the year, young locals survive an intoxicated walk home without harm, it seems at the very least surprising that the police have not issued a press release confirming that they have received expert medical advice that this is a plausible scenario. Vulnerability to hypothermia is presumably highly variable, so what would the probability be of a presumably healthy young male who has walked a considerable distance on a mild winter's night after consuming a few drinks? 1 in 1,000? 1 in 1 million?
What coherent explanation is there for Adrian discarding his belt and phone? If the working theory is that he was acting irrationally after becoming hypothermic, is there any evidence that people with hypothermia are prone to discard such items? Is it possible that anybody who has developed hypothermia would have sufficient function in their fingers to be able to remove a belt?
It has been reported that this investigation has been externally/independently reviewed. Who was it reviewed by? It was also reported that a number of recommendations were made. Crucially what were these recommendations, do the police agree with them, and if so, have they been implemented? Is there another review planned, if so when? If not why not?
Chief Police Officer Mike Bowron.
Given the high profile of the case will the Chief Officer, Mike Bowron, be making any personal comment? Why hasn't he made any comment thus far? Will the Home Affairs Minister be making any personal comment? Have the Police Authority asked for the Chief Officer to report to them on the matter? Just who, apart from the Blogging community/Social Media is holding the force to account for its performance in this case?
Who is taking responsibility for this investigation? If it is Chief Officer Mike Bowron, then where is he? Why no public comment from him? If it is the Home Affairs Minister, then where is she or some kind of statement from her? If it is the Police Authority then has anybody heard from them lately?
Do the police know more than they are letting on? If so, then why try and peddle he hypothermia sketch? Why not give the public something more believable?
There has been much speculation involving Adrian's disappearance some of it credible and possibly useful, some of it not so much. Unfortunately this speculation will continue until plausible explanations/answers are given by the police.
Our thoughts are, and will continue to be, with Adrian's family who must be living a nightmare incomprehensible to most.
For related Blogs published by Team Voice on the disappearance/police investigation of Adrian Lynch please click on the labels at the bottom of the posting. Alternatively please click on the links below.
Adrian Lynch still missing. DAY FIVE.
Adrian Lynch still missing. DAY 7/8
Adrian Lynch still missing. DAY 13/14
Adrian Lynch still missing. DAY 31/32
Adrian Lynch still missing. DAY 35/36
Adrian Lynch THE OFFICIAL LINE QUESTIONED.
As usual they will review thier own actions, thus meaning the correct Jersey procedure pertaing to the case was followed, covert and self appraisal for thier actions.
ReplyDeleteWhere is the transparecy.
The local constbulary are a legend in thier own mind.
Game Show Mike, the politicised glove puppet brought in by the Emporor with No Clothes Le Marquand doesn't get reviewed, don't you all understand that? His police force must be amongst the worst in Europe yet he swans around town like Clint Eastwood in a toothpaste commercial. Jersey force not been reviewed since they shafted Graham Power. Bowron's force don't answer legitimit questions any more than Commandant Martins bent department. They are servants of the Evil Empire and in my humble opinion victims like poor Adrian don't matter. They just spoil the phoney projected image of competence and professionalism.
ReplyDeleteThe blog posting asks: "Where does the accountability start, or stop, with this investigation? Who's head will be on the chopping block should things go t1ts up?"
ReplyDeleteYoung man goes missing, with no body and no plausible police explanation.
This was 5 months ago!
How much more "t1ts up" can it go?
Surely the buck stops with Bowron ......if not the HA Minister.
To be fair to the Jersey Police Force it is not their fault that a young man went missing either by criminal, or for other reasons.
ReplyDeleteWhat is improbable ( unless Adrian had an unknown medical condition and is found ) is that in a reasonable non life threatning night temperature the police suggest strongly it was hypothermia being the most likely cause of his disappearance without trace.
To many observers the Jersey police Chief Mike Bowron is showing narrow minded concern over Jersey's already tarnished reputation rather than stating the obvious - hiding behind a silly hypothermia theory.
This is doing the forces reputation no good, by detracting from the good work many decent police men women carry out, lead by a politicised puppet that prefers not to state the obvious, after the young mans phone and wallet were found but not him.
Thank you for another excellent posting.
ReplyDeleteExcellent and thought provoking as always. The saddest thing about all of this after the disappearance of Adrian himself is that none of us should be surprised.
DeleteAbout 18 months ago you ran a story about a former anti Establishment politician run down on a pedestrian crossing. I remember you highlighted how three witnesses said the driver was to blame. Yet Bowron's police claimed there was not enough evidence to prosecute!
Seen it that context what hope is there of Adrian's case being solved?
Could the Police have done a reconstruction of Adrian's last place to be seen, using same sort of clothes, Somebody around there at this time knows something? Could this be a mugging that went seriously wrong,
Delete'Are the police being reactive or proactive in this case? Are they looking for any leads or are they just waiting for them to land on their desks?'
ReplyDeleteMy guess is that they are waiting for him to turn up. They don't have a clue. It's a very good question.
The Jersey police only investigate crimes dependent on who a person is. If poor Adrian was the son of a Bailiff they would have found him by now dead or alive. And on the subject of Bailiffs why are none of the most recent three in prison anyway for perverting the course of justice?
ReplyDeleteCould someone within Jersey's disgraced and corrupt judiciary even be directly involved? Thanks to the COI and a few brave souls we now know beyond dispute that senior figures are happy to cover up the most heinous crimes. Victoria College scandal, the Holland affair, HDLG itself. The list is endless. And quite probably continues.
DeleteSurely time for a vote if no confidence? Not just in Bowron. But in the useless olly-dolly at Home Affairs.
ReplyDeleteI note that you have published an official picture of Chief Officer Mike Bowron posing in his best uniform. Presumably this is because you do not have a photograph of him in his wellies leading the search for Adrian Lynch?
ReplyDeleteIs this the result of Bowron inaction?
Deletehttp://therightofreply.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/jersey-child-rapist-james-giles-had-no.html
"Giles had five or six complaints against his name for interfering with young children whilst he lived in Jersey, the Jersey Police failed miserably to do anything about the allegations. The end product of this ineptitude was that James Giles moved away from Jersey and went on to rape a five year old girl up in Yorkshire.
...."
wASN'T lEE tURNER involed in a murder cold case last year??? A woman who died in the 60's
DeleteThis is surely a crisis for Chief of Police Mike Bowron. Surely the biggest crisis he has had since his easy and well paid leadership(?) of The Jersey Police Service....
ReplyDeleteEverything is fluffy and rosy in Jersey!?
Also remember Bowron had allowed a Policeman in his force,(who is now in prison), who had a weird fascination for children, who's job was to go around the Jersey schools, preaching to the kids: "Prison me no way". Couldn't make it up if you tried.
ReplyDeleteStumbled across this interview from 2012
ReplyDeletehttp://tomgruchy.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/alan-collins-jimmy-savile-and-jersey.html
LINK.
DeleteIt amazes me that during the CoI, Graham Power was accused of allegedly not making himself very public during Operation Rectangle, but seemingly the mysterious Mike Bowron (Google Mike Bowron - The Carroll Foundation) who is only visible walking up and down King Street/Queen Street on an almost daily basis being 'smarmy and charmey' has been even more low profile, yet the PTB stay very silent. I wonder why? Of course he has recently gone on record as saying that 80+% of the Jersey population have confidence in the Police Force. Just how was this survey conducted, because no-one I know was asked to take part.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, the most important matter here is Adrian, and I can honestly say that without question, people who talk about this case do not believe what the police have said, nor that they have done enough in trying to locate him. It is a sad reflection of this Island that once again conspiracy theories abound, but unfortunately this is the mindset of those who live here. How telling is that?
When the taxi driver dropped Adrian off at Carrefour Selous so he could walk home, was it at his request, the request of those who put him in the taxi or why did he not want to get taken straight home at that time of night?
There are far more questions than answers to this case and moreso for the poor family for whom this must be unbearable.
Yep if Bowron searched the country parishes with the same diligence and fanaticism with which he tackles those Queen Street cafes Adrian would surely be found in no time.
DeleteI reckon that 80% figure is the other way around.
DeleteDeputy M.R. Higgins of St. Helier will ask the following question of the Minister for Home Affairs –
ReplyDelete“Will the Minister provide an update on the latest information she has relating to the disappearance of Adrian Lynch?
Well done Deputy Higgins. It's about time someone asked a question in our parliament about this horrendous disappearance.
Yes well done Deputy Higgins. The 'last man standing' when it comes to asking the really important questions. You can be sure the Syvret, Pitmans, G Power treatment is getting closer every day.
DeleteThey have already had one good try via the Airshow.
DeleteGod help him if he parks on a yellow line.
This is the JEP Editorial that appeared at the end of April.
ReplyDelete"THE disappearance of Adrian Lynch is as baffling now as it was in the week he went missing after a night out four months ago.
The police have announced that they are effectively closing their active investigation, saying they will soon have exhausted all lines of inquiry. The case will, however, remain open and detectives are still appealing for anyone with information to come forward.
Just how a young man can vanish in such a small Island is, quite simply, unbelievable. The police suspect that he died of exposure and that his body is probably lying undiscovered somewhere.
The void left by so many unanswered questions has led others to hypothesise that he must have been the victim of foul play – that he was run down by a car or worse.
Adrian Lynch must not be forgotten, his file only re-emerging as part of a cold-case review every few years. The longer he remains missing, the harder it will be to believe that he died of misadventure.
And the more important it will be to keep trying to solve the mystery."
The JEP, BBC JERSEY and CHANNEL ITV have all played their part in keeping Adrian in the news. We all know he is missing. Now is the time for the police to start answering some questions. The questions are very simple. A young man is missing. He must not be abandoned or forgotten.
How long before Adrian becomes just a name on a file that gathers dust on the "we haven't got a clue pile" down at the new Police Station?.. It's shocking that a search is over just as quick as it began. He is out there. Dead or Alive waiting to be found.
The Police need to get organised. Pump some extra cash into it and go and find him in one of the most organised and intensive Island Wide searches ever conducted. Not telling us that he is under a bush in a zone that's been intensively searched.
When even long time Establishment corruption enablers like the JEP, BBC and ITV Rankin Television jump on the bandwagon asking what the hell is going on you know things must be bad with Gameshow Mike's police force. If this was Power and Harper they would be calling for his head. Or at least scrutinizing how much money he spends on coffee and sandwiches while hanging around doing 'police work' in our high Street.
ReplyDeleteThat this unfortunate young man is lying dead under a bush, still undiscovered somewhere without foul play in an island of 9 x 5 is too ridiculous for words.
ReplyDeleteSomeone brave in the States should request it is taken out of the useless PR man Bowron's hands and an outside force brought in. Better still hire Lenny Harper for a three month period to launch a new search and investigation.
We clearly need professionalism and Bowron just doesn't measure up.
They should bring in Dia Davis but more on that later.
ReplyDeletePerhaps someone from the police hierarchy is involved?
ReplyDeleteMaybe it is time to organise a petition calling for Bowron's replacement, or at least an outside force to take over the investigation as suggested above?
ReplyDeleteWhat about two very different possibilities for consideration, both out of left field but genuinely asked?
ReplyDeleteOne, Adrian decided for whatever reason that he didn't want to be found and left the island with the help of persons unknown?
Two, he was abducted. But not by people but aliens?
Far fetched a possibility as I acknowledge this may be there are claimed cases where no other explanation seems possible.
To me this latter scenario is the only one which could genuinely explain why he hasn't been found yet.
Apart obviously from the most likely answer that foul play is involved and someone with power/resources has hidden the poor lad.
The police should ask the whole island to come out and search on a named day. With the good weather now I'm sure we could get a good turnout.
Illegal aliens?
DeleteIn fairness, even if the commenter IS referring to outer space aliens. It's no less an unbelievable story than the hypothermia sketch being peddled by the police.
DeleteHope to publish an update tomorrow in a new Blog Posting.
vfc, will you let us know if you hear from the states police.
ReplyDeleteIndeed. I sent DCI Lee Turner an e-mail yesterday with a link to the Blog Posting and asked if he would kindly answer the questions posed in the Blog, either by return e-mail, or a video recorded interview.
DeleteI've not, as yet, had a reply or acknowledgement of the e-mail. If/when I do I will let readers know.
"Apart obviously from the most likely answer that foul play is involved and someone with power/resources has hidden the poor lad."
ReplyDeleteWhy power/resources? Why not panic/get rid.
Yes, fair point. The ability to vanish a body/person for five months might suggest power/influence though. Just brainstorming. A person without help would surely crack eventually?
DeleteDet/Sup Stewart Gull 11th Dec 2015
ReplyDeleteQ – “You have said in the last few days that it’s unlikely that you’ll find him alive.”
A – “We do believe he has come to an unfortunate and untimely end. We have spoken to the taxi driver and taken a statement – we have traced 15 or 16 witnesses and taken statements from them which helps to piece together his last movements??????
The history books of murder suggest otherwise @15:32
ReplyDeleteDon't know much about murder. Hope you are only going by the written word!
DeleteJust a few days after he goes missing we get a Top Jersey Cop saying this:
ReplyDelete“We do believe he has come to an unfortunate and untimely end".
Completely unacceptable!
Jersey policing gone down hill, totally politicised since Power shafted. Bowron just a poodle for the Establishment.
ReplyDeleteVFC, off topic, but important.
ReplyDeleteThe @BBCJersey twitter feed reports "Data watchdog report to @StatesAssembly says "systemic" data breaches @JerseyInquiry http://bbc.in/270p8Jo"
Here's the link to the Information Commissioner's report:
http://www.statesassembly.gov.je/AssemblyReports/2016/R.48-2016%20reduced%20file%20size.pdf
It appears that the Inquiry does not know its arse from its elbow when it comes to data protection.
Case in point, the sending of Lenny Harper's ultra-sensitive witness statement via Jersey Post. Which then got opened (most likely by fellow brethren at Jersey Post but, hey, that's just me speculating...)
Even when the Inquiry's only security protocols (in the appendix to the report linked above) forbid staff from even couriering documents, let alone sending them by normal post.
How dare Eversheds LLP charge the Jersey taxpayer millions of pounds for such ineptitude?
We will be publishing a Blog on this next week. It must be said though that my confidence in the Inquiry (due to the Data Commissioners attempted smear against it) has shot up.
DeleteMore to follow................
Fair enough. We live in interesting times...
DeleteLINK.
DeleteThe COI have provided a robust response, hidden away at the end of the appendices
ReplyDeleteI missed the COI's robust response hidden at the end of that report. It is, indeed, robust and worth a read.
DeleteThe Inquiry even points out that Emma Martins made the exact same data protection failing (with 'redacted' Adobe Acrobat PDF documents) as the Inquiry did, when she was looking into the issues raised. Who polices her?
So it's a one-all draw. With the inquiry losing the penalty shoot out, as there is still no rational reason for sending Lenny Harper's statement to him via Jersey Post. A courier would have cost about £50.
VFC, The comments section on your previous blog has remained rather active:
ReplyDeletehttp://voiceforchildren.blogspot.com/2016/04/reform-jersey-parish-assembly.html?showComment=1462445217151#c6313350372875123190
Largely on the subject of Reform Day, Jersey's 1769 democratic revolution
Perhaps now is the time to finish the job?
At the very least 28 September should not pass unmarked. Perhaps a reenactment is required and islanders can march on the Royal Court holding pitchforks (and selfie sticks).
After reaffirming this democratic heritage we could cast an effigy of the Bailiff into the mud at the harbour.
Maybe the police chief too, on account of this incompetence.
Having this Reform Day really should be a Godsend that if people can put aside differences for a while could eventually have a real impact as a once a year focus for highlighting what needs to change in our island, the corruption etc.
DeleteThe day is after all, certainly to my understanding, not about the Reform political party or party politics generally. I took the liberty of hunting down the proposition which led to this recognition of September 28th 1769 and reading it (it was brought by Deputy T Pitman) and material attached by Mike Dun it would be ideal to highlight so much.
One has to say that even this horrible injustice with this young lad could be highlighted and the police incompetence (corruption?) If they have still not sorted it out which we must hope they will thanks to this blog and Rico's keeping it alive.
As for the idea about casting an effigy of the Bailiff into the harbour following a ceremonial march, there are such things in Britain drawing sizable crowds. One is at Coombe Martin where I lived briefly. In this case the figure is symbolically shot first for good measure!
All sounds ideal for Jersey.
Have you a link to the proposition?
DeleteI don't know how to do links unfortunately. But even I found it fairly comfortably on the States Assembly website if that is any help? Perhaps a more IT savy reader could post a link. The debate is fascinating as the Establishment try to play the events of 1769 down. Bit of a miracle how the really important bit - the recognition of the day itself - got through.
DeleteDon't carry a real pitch fork. Bailhache will have Bowron getting his SWAT troops armed and arresting everyone for illegal weapons!
DeleteMaybe just poles with a symbolic white flower taped to the end? There must be some white flowers we could use like in the Belgium paedophile cover up campaign?
Any gardeners on here who know what the flowers were?
Lillie's seem the most likely. Think you can get white roses too though? I manage to kill even plastic flowers though so probably not the person to listen to. Could use white balloons too I expect.
DeleteThen again, why just effigies?
ReplyDeleteOooh you sound like a bit of a radical you naughty boy (or girl).
DeleteJersey folk are conditioned for quiet obedience.As in 1769 they will not march until the middle class underclass cannot feed or house their families.
DeleteBy then it will be too late because today debt is the mistress behind the master.
In 1769 the general population were slaves to hunger and the seasons. Today they are slaves to the banks.
The 1769 activists risked hanging or transportation. Tom Gruchy and the other heroes of 1769 narrowly escaped such a fate due to a pardon forced by England on the local mafia.
Sorry to be off topic but to anyone interested in justice in the island the story from the UK also briefly being reported in today's Rag about Heritage Oil makes interesting reading. Unless I am wrong this story about alleged colossal tax dodging involves a company I believe was allegedly owned by an individual eventually granted 1 1 K status. Apparently an alleged former mercenary? This individual's 1 1 K status I am told was initially allegedly refused. But was then pushed through with the alleged help of a former Senator B Shenton. Allegedly, allegedly, allegedly. The Jersey Way? Allegedly. We're all in this together(allegedly) as good old Call me Dave Cameron would say.
ReplyDeleteHave the police even bothered to have an information point in the high street trying to focus people's minds on Adrian still being missing? Seems an obvious move but if it has happened I must have missed it.
ReplyDeleteThey want us to forget about Adrian so they can tell everyone that Jersey is a safe place to live and do business. Adrian L,Stuart S,John D,Graham P,Lenny H,Trevor P, Shona P, Dita P and many more never got justice.....
ReplyDeleteIndeed. We can't have people knowing that there may be a potential murder on the island. What with the fast approaching tourist season coming up, what what.
DeleteThe Beano is not The Rag
Isn't it revealing to see this, Jersey's premier political blog and IMPORTANT news site, always so busy with comments?
ReplyDeleteOn the JEP on line Ghost Town pages even the ghosts seem to have given up. Has the paper banned the two anti-Syvret, Pitmans, Power, Reform trolls to try and look respectable with Scrutiny reviewing this proposed internet law?
I'll tell you what. Though these comments about this Reform Day should probably be on the previous thread. The more I think about an "official day" I knew bugger all about the more I start to think this really could be a tool we could use to highlight everything that has gone on in this island.Just consider this with me a few minutes. Haut De La Garenne, an illegal judicial system, the constructing of a bogus case against Graham Power, the surely illegal secret court case against Stuart Syvret, the surely illegal use of a paedophile protecting dishonest Jurat in the Pitmans' court case, the Bailiffs who control both Legislature and Judiciary, illegal bugging of a car in the Warren case, all of these tax evasion allegations, intimidation of abuse victims seeking compensation, money laundering taxpayers money through the new police station to pay for Plemont? deporting HG, 'losing' HDLG evidence found under States offices, perjury in planning cases - the list is endless! Every bit must be relevant to highlighting on a ready made day about challenging corruption. The farcical and tragic mishandling or even potential cover up of the Adrian Lynch case fits in perfectly too. The only question is could we get a group of capable and if possible high profile people to work together to organise it in the next four months?
ReplyDeleteNot only high profile people, but anybody who feels they would like to, but is afraid to put their head above the parapet. Believe you me, there are an awful lot of those out there. Strength in numbers and all that.
DeleteI would be more than willing to partake in anything that exposes this corrupt Island for exactly what it is and sooner rather than later. 4 months is not an impossible time scale so........let's go for it!
Me too! We all, and I am as guilty as anyone, rightly.moan about all the poster above highlights and more. We also understandably moan that we don't know how to move forward.
DeleteLondon is probably necessary but the legal nicities never mind the money involved is so daunting. So meanwhile maybe we have just stumbled on something that could be a real catalyst if we can get enough people and some kind of eye-catching events and/or speakers.
Like others I had never really heard of this, but am really willing to be there. But to close can I just add can we please not have people on here saying I won't take part if a political party that happens to have the same name should be involved.
I'm not a member but we need to get beyond such sentiments.
ReplyDeleteJersey has a very large biker community from all walks of life. They are having a ride out at the end of May. There wil be hundreds.
Invite the bikers leaders to a ride out as part of the reform day which may have just got a lot bigger.
Now that would be a spectacle as biking represents freedom. It could start in the car park by the Jersey Finance Centre count me in.
The idea of using Reform Day which unlike some I well remember being debated in the States is one I fully support.
ReplyDeleteWhat could be more appropriate than developing a day arising from the poor of the 18th century storming a corrupt court to say enough is enough?
While on the subject I would also add a big respect to Michael Dun who seems to have been fighting a one man war to keep the memory of this important event alive.
The same goes to one of our best ever politicians, ex-Deputy Trevor Pitman for taking up the fight and pulling off what must be seen as a minor miracle in convincing enough States Members to vote Reform Day into existence.
That three years have passed without some major event being organised to commemorate Tom Gruchy and company is a real shame. One to put right in 2016.
Bbc jersey have had some answers to the above questions concerning Adrian Lynch.
ReplyDeleteI got a reply to my e-mail from the police. They weren't as helpful as they could be. The "answers" were evasive and questions were ignored.
DeleteWill look to publish the correspondence soon Just trying to weigh up if it is worth giving the police the opportunity to answer the unanswered questions by sending them another e-mail. My experience with the Jersey authorities tells me I will be wasting my time so will give it some thought.
It has to be said that the police's evasiveness is concerning.
On the bbc it said that some people hadn't come forward bot the most important person is the one driving the car at 2.23am.
ReplyDeleteThat car was heading north and was right in the slot.
What direction did it come from? Past Carrefour Salou or out of Rue Golande.
It isn't lost, I'm sure, on most readers of this blog how closely related are the issues of the failure of healthy, safe, law-enforcement of the kind we see frighteningly displayed in the case of Adrian & the child-abuse cover-ups on one hand, and the amazing attack by your information commissioner on the public-inquiry on the other hand.
ReplyDeleteOn one side very serious crimes and the victims of crimes, on the other side a highly resourced and powerful public authority with a track-record of destroying whistle-blowers and those who speak the truth. Her report, devoid of all accountability, being published by the parliament of the tax-haven, attacking and denigrating the public-inquiry into the child-abuse. And 10 months late, 10 months after she first said to the public-inquiry she had concerns over their data-handling. Why so late?There's not even an attempt to be 'credible' by her in her report.
So, this is how 'things' are in Jersey. Your island is so frighteningly lawless it's amazing the British prime minister can host a summit on the need to combat international corruption with this cesspit on his doorstep in which young men can simply 'vanish' and the police just shrug their shoulders. A place where even after everything which the world knows to have happened there, your island establishment can still casually issue another huge and clear threat to whistle-blowers and witnesses whilst undermining the public-inquiry into child-abuse.
You live in a very, very scary place. And the climate of fear is also so obviously 'obvious', if you know what I mean, it's 'obviously' approved of by the government in London.
You want to oppose corruption and financial devices which enable international corruption, Mr Cameron? If you are serious, your first target has to be the Crown tax-haven Jersey.
DeleteHaving just read this very apt comment, I stumbled across the following quote attributed to James Bovard which I think illustrates your thoughts about Jersey to a 'T'.
'As long as enough people can be frightened, then all people can be ruled. That is how it works in a democratic system and mass fear becomes the ticket to destroy rights across the board'.
Emma' report appears to have been taken down from the States website.
ReplyDeleteAt least, I am getting an error message when following links from BBC and the Inquiry itself.
It clearly was there at some point. So what is going on? Has Emma breached her own guidelines? Has the Inquiry's response (contained in the report?) knocked it for six? Has outside comment picked up on the report's political motivation to the embarrassment of the Jersey authorities.
Has anyone downloaded it? It was gone when I thought to check. If there is a copy out there I'll put it up on my website if necessary.
Polo.
DeleteIt is HERE. and copies have been dowloaded.
Thanks VFC. Have it now and will read with interest.
DeleteThe new link is a slight variation on the one originally supplied to the media.
I don't know if that implies any modification of the content originally posted.
Update on Adrian has now been published HERE.
ReplyDeleteI managed to have a quick read f Emma Martins report, my initial feelings were that it as an attempt to undermine the work of the COI before it punishes its report. There was a great deal of
ReplyDeleteofficial information (propaganda to try to impress) So what are the actual complaints.
The issue of yellow highlighter to identify redactions
Data protection made the same mistake initially, when informed the COI changed immediately.
That the COI did not know what they were doing (asked for advice) and did not respond quickly
If one reads the e mails from Ms Sturmer I think they are professional and timely
That people have complained
These people have numbers to anonamise them
I would like to know how many were victims and how many were those who had been called to account and given a hard time by the COI
these ARE ONLY MY INITIAL IMPRESSIONS
Initial impressions of Emma's report and Inquiry response
ReplyDeleteFirst where I'm coming from.
Re: the Inquiry
I think they were biased in their hearings, sloppy in their security, arrogant and unnecessarily difficult in their dealing with the public.
Re: the Commissioner
She has shown herself in the past to be a tool of the Establishment and exceptionally creative in her use of data protection legislation on their behalf.
So, as far as I'm concerned, it's a bit of a toss up between the pair of them.
Timing
The timing of the publication of this report is open to question. Despite extensive discussions between the two parties and much of the report apparently being written way back, it is only now presented , raising many new issues, when the Inquiry's ability to do anything about them at this stage is virtually nil. The only interpretation I can take out of this is that the timing (and content – see below) is designed to undermine any report the Inquiry might produce.
Content
The content, as set out, makes the Inquiry look like a gaggle of stupid and stubborn idiots. I initially found this reassuring as I don't think they're very good at what they do. But then, in response, the Inquiry points out that no formal complaints have been made to either the Commissioner or to the Inquiry itself. They also draw attention to many of the Commissioner's concerns arising from contacts which she will not reveal, even to them, and relating to vague and unsubstantiable accusations. The Commissioner has also picked up criticisms off websites which she has thrown into the mix.
My own direct criticisms
As indicated above, I consider the Inquiry:
Biased – compare its grilling of Lenny Harper, its trivialising of Bob Hill and Trevor Pitman, and its skewering of Andrew Lewis (acceptable fall guy) with its mild treatment of some of the other witnesses and its lack of subpoena of yet others.
Incompetent – (i) sending Lenny's highly confidential statement through ordinary post where it at least got roughed up if not minutely inspected by third parties, (ii) putting up documents which had been insufficiently anonymised. The pdf problem referred to where internal information could be extracted from published documents, and redacting thereby got round, has been known for years. It was around in relation to rtf in the nineties. Documents should not only be flattened but should then be inspected from the non-privileged consumer end in the context of any software available to the public. This is just good practice (iii) the Inquiry's unfamiliarity with the context they were operating in meant that even I, who don't live on the island, could identify No. 737 straight away.
Obstructive – there are two separate pages on the Inquiry website which need to be consulted to come on a particular person's session (i) the timetable which links the person's name to the day, and (ii) the documents for that day. There is provision in the template to link the two, clearly intended to facilitate the public, but this column has been left blank so it is a pain to trace a particular individual's session.
Arrogant – there has been minimum information about the ongoing Inquiry provided to the public. For example, the site went down for a whole extended weekend and this elicited only a curt apology but no explanation from the Inquiry. Trevor Pitman's documentation was taken down and missing for a period, one had to speculate why. Nobody knows if what was eventually put back up was amended. The Inquiry accepted that privilege on certain official documents could be waived up to the last minute and these were then thrown, virtually unseen, at witnesses to react to.
I could go on but that is probably enough for now.
On a more lighthearted note, I am now quoted in an appendix to Emma's report, in the Twitter section. That is my third appearance on the Jersey public stage. JEP printed two letters from me in 1961, when I was actually resident on the island; they again quoted me, and I was quoted in the States, in relation to my Herr Bailhache caricature which Trevor favourited on Twitter, and now Emma has made me (and Denver Elle & Norty) famous yet again.
ReplyDeleteIt always pays to read the long version.
Data Commissioner's Report
Inquiry's Reply (at the end of the Commissioner's Report)
I have now read all of the Inquiry's response to Emma's report and I think they have firmly put her back into her box.
ReplyDeleteHer report is clearly a shoddy piece of work, which is not to deny that some of her criticisms may be valid. She has clearly gone over the top, howver, and as the Inquiry says, both the timing and content of her report are difficult to understand, as is its purpose.
Readers might be interested in the concluding remarks of the Inquiry's response, which when taken together could be taken as attributing sinister motives to this report.
Link to concluding remarks of Inquiry's response
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Celebrating Reform Day - great idea!
ReplyDeleteLink to the debate on Trevor's proposition to establish Reform Day: copy and paste into address bar the following:
http://www.statesassembly.gov.je/AssemblyHansard/2012/2012.11.20%20States%20-%20Edited%20Transcript.pdf
For the proposition itself. which was P107/2012, with its excellent Appendices by Mike Dun setting out the amazing story of the Jersey revolution, here is the address:
http://www.statesassembly.gov.je/AssemblyPropositions/2012/P.107-2012%20(re-issue).pdf
Daniel
ReplyDeleteThanks for that. Fascinating.
Plus ça change ...
My comment above referred to the report. I have now read the debate which is also very interesting. Trevor has flushed out some very weird reasoning and insecurities on the part of some members. The voting is particularly interesting.
DeleteClickables below:
Link to item in Hansard
Link to proposition and report
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Curious irony that jailing of Jersey blogger Stuart Syvret organised by Bergerac John Nettles' daughter Emma Martins
ReplyDelete