Exclusive: Lenny Harper Responds to William Bailhache's Political Attack on Care Inquiry. (Part one)

Former SIO/DCO Lenny Harper

Further to our PREVIOUS POST where we demonstrated how the outgoing Bailiff, William Bailhache, looked to have carried out a vendetta against the Independent Jersey Care Inquiry for his brother, former Bailiff Philip Bailhache. The alleged vendetta was carried out as part of a speech given by Bailhache where he abused his dual position in the States Assembly. Video of the speech can be viewed HERE. During that same speech the out-going Bailiff totally, and unequivocally, vindicated the former Senior Investigating Officer of Jersey's biggest ever Child Abuse Investigation Mr. Lenny Harper.

Long-time readers will know that William Bailhache was the Attorney General during the Police's Child Abuse Investigation (Operation Rectangle) and refused to bring many cases to court. Indeed, in June 2009 he published a PRESS STATEMENT with his so-called "reasons" for NOT doing so. Long-time readers will also know that not all of those "reasons" stood up to just the slightest scrutiny.

From his Press Statement above:

"In another case, the complainant described sustaining 300 to 400 cigarette burn marks and a branding which required a skin graft, but there is no physical sign of any injury................."

But then we have (From the transcripts of the Independent Jersey Care Inquiry) testimony from: "a medical report prepared by a Jason Payne-James."

"On examination of his back there were numerous pale mature scars generally less than ... in size down to about [so much] in size. They extended across [an area of the back], they were in no fixed pattern and of no particular shape. They represent areas of skin that have sustained damage of an extent enough to result in residual scars. Causes could include cigarette burns, insect bites, chickenpox (although other lesions were not noted elsewhere) ..."

These transcripts, and further demonstration that William Bailhache's "reasons" for not prosecuting this particular alleged prolific pedophile can, and should be read HERE.

Why do we bring this up? Because although William Bailhache in his political speech attacking the Care Inquiry (and by implication the Survivors) he also unequivocally VINDICATED Lenny Harper and Operation Rectangle. We asked Mr. Harper if he accepted this vindication (video below) and he told us "actions" speak louder than words." It's all very well the Bailiff saying what a great job Mr. Harper did (10 years later) but what has the "actions" of the Bailiff been? We reported back in 2011 that the Survivors/public were offered a mere handful of SHOW TRIALS while those connected people remained, and remain to this day, protected (The Jersey Way).

Old Media

Of course the fact that Mr. Harper, and Operation Rectangle, were totally, and unequivocally, vindicated by William Bailhache has NOT (to the best of our knowledge) been broadcast/published by any of the local Old Media (formerly known as MSM). Jersey's Old Media has gone out of its way to portray Mr. Harper as the bad guy and it has only ever been the Bloggers, through the years, who have tried adding balance to the Old Media's propaganda and given a voice to those who have been victims of the Old Media. This has included Survivors, Mr. Harper, Graham Power QPM and many others. The Old Media are in a dilemma now because after doing everything it has to discredit Lenny Harper and his Team involved with Operation Rectangle, now the out-going Bailiff (and former AG) Praises/vindicates Mr. Harper and his investigation. It would be difficult for the Old Media to report this because of its trashing of Mr. Harper and his investigation all through the years without looking inadequate (at best) or complicit (at worse).

As far as we are aware we are the only media to report the Bailiff's vindication of Mr. Harper and we ARE the only media to ask him for his reaction. Again regular readers will know that the Old Media ran lots of stories about Mr. Haper, and how much he spent on a Prawn Cocktail, yet NONE of them had the decency, or professional journalistic courtesy to either ask him his side of the story, or offer him any kind of right of reply.

The way the local Old Media went about its business concerning its reporting of Mr. Harper, and related issues, was exposed in what has been described as "The most defining Report of its Era." That report was published by former Deputy TREVOR PITMAN'S Scrutiny Sub Panel and can be read (the short version) HERE and in its entirety HERE.

We are thankful for Mr. Harper's continued support (he retired more than 11 years ago) for the Survivors and for the truth to be told. We are grateful for the interview in order to keep the historic records accurate also.

Part two of this interview will be looking a little deeper into the roles played by Old and New Media over the years concerning Operation Rectangle, the Care Inquiry, and much more.

Mr. Harper (in the interview) basically sums up the irony of William Bailhache's political speech in one quote:

"For someone  who was trying to deny the existence of "The Jersey Way" he made a very good job of actually proving its alive, well and kicking."