"Exonerated."

Discredited, and disgraced, ITV Channel Television continues to mislead its viewer(s) with what looks to be a carefully orchestrated/rehearsed piece of media spin/opinion management led by Senator Philip Bailhache.

In the video below readers will hear Mark McQuillan, and Senator Bailhache, claim that the Dean of Jersey, Bob Key, has been "exonerated" by the un-finished, and un-published Steel Report.

The interview would have come about as a result of Senator Bailhache publishing, a misleading and inaccurate, Press Release which was shown for what it is on this Blog posted HERE. In that Blog Posting I published an extract from an e-mail I sent to ITV Channel Television pointing out how the Steel Report had NOT exonerated the Dean of Jersey nor had it exonerated the Island's clergy and asked if ITV/CTV was referring to another Report?

After having to be chased up ITV/CTV responded to my e-mail and a subsequent exchange took place between them and I where CTV/ITV explained it was indeed referring to the Steel Report and concluded that what was reported was "Entirely Accurate." Regular Readers will know that ITV/CTV (or CTV as it was then) has a very strange understanding of the phrase "Entirely Accurate" as has been demonstrated on this Blog HERE and HERE. Yet ITV/CTV has gone one step further this time and, for all intents and purposes, claims the English Dictionary to be wrong while ITV/CTV is "Entirely Accurate."

On Monday 25th Nov 2013 I wrote to CTV/ITV;

"On tonight's edition of your 6pm news programme Senator Philip Bailhache was interviewed by Mark McQuillan concerning the Dame Heather Steel Report. On a number of occasions Mr. McQuillan, and Senator Bailhache, stated that the Report had exonerated the Jersey Dean/Clergy.

Could I ask what Report Mr. McQuillan, and Senator Bailhache, were referring to? It clearly can't be the un-finished Dame Heather Report because that hasn't been published.

Is there another Report which has exonerated the Jersey Dean/Clergy? If so could you tell me where I could find a copy of it please? I'm not aware of any Report that has exonerated the Jersey Dean or Clergy."

After not receiving a reply, or acknowledgement of the e-mail, after a couple of days I sent a reminder e-mail and then got a response where on Wednesday 27th Nov 2013  ITV/CTV wrote;

"Thank you for your email.  I have taken the time to consider your query, reviewing the programme concerned and discussing the matter with the news editor and programme producer of the day.

Our interviewee Sir Philip Bailhache was indeed discussing the Steel report, which, as you correctly point out, has not been published.  However in a press release received by ITV Channel Television from the Bishop of Winchester, it states: "...based on Dame Heather’s findings to date ... I will not be taking disciplinary action against any member of the clergy in relation to the handling of the safeguarding complaint in question or the subsequent review process."

Sir Philip clearly used the word 'exonerate' as an interpretation of that statement. Mark McQuillan repeated the term in a question back to him which we do not believe is unreasonable or would have misled our viewers.  Our coverage of this story was entirely accurate and we have not make any misleading claims as part of the report or subsequent live interview.

I hope that clarifies the matter."

To which I replied on the same date;

"I'm sorry but I do not accept your interpretation of "not taking disciplinary action" as "exonerated" they are two completely different things. Viewers, in my opinion, were given the impression that the Dean, and clergy being "exonerated" would mean they are blameless which clearly isn't the case.

If you will not make clear, to your viewers, the difference between "exonerated" and "no disciplinary action" then I will take up my complaint with OFCOM or whoever it is that are supposed to regulate ITV. Could you send me the contact details of the relevant body who deals with complaints to ITV if you will not accept the difference between "exonerated" and "no disciplinary action"?"

To which ITV/CTV replied;

"I have given you my response to your original complaint.  If you wish to take your complaint further, Ofcom is indeed the correct regulatory body.  The contact details are:

Ofcom

Riverside House

2a Southwark Bridge Road

London

SE1 9HA

Tel 020 7981 3040

Ofcom's website is: www.ofcom.org.uk"

I then responded;

"I find it incredible that anybody with the slightest understanding of the English language (let alone a professional Journalist) could interpret "no disciplinary action" as "exonerated."

My complaint is that your viewers would have been misled by Mr. McQuillan/ITV and after reading the dictionary interpretation of "exonerated" 1 (esp. of an official body) absolve (someone) from blame for a fault or wrongdoing, esp. after due consideration of the case."  I would ask that you reconsider your response and agree with me that your viewers (according to the dictionary) would have been left with the impression that the Jersey Dean/clergy are blameless.

OFCOM will insist that I have attempted to resolve this matter locally before they will accept my complaint which is why I am once more asking that you reconsider your response (in light of the dictionary definition of "exonerated") and don't expect OFCOM to defend your interpretation of the English language which is contrary to the English dictionary?"

ITV/CTV were having none of it by responding;

"Thank you for your email.  We stand by the response I have already sent you, so I suggest that if you are not satisfied, you contact Ofcom for an independent adjudication."(END)

So there we have it, contrary to the English Language and Dictionary, ITV/CTV claim it has been "Entirely Accurate" in its reporting.

Moreover, despite being in possession of a document(s) which completely contradicts what Mark McQuillan and Senator Bailhache were peddling, ITV/CTV or Mr. McQuillan ("accredited" "journalist") didn't see fit to tell its viewer(s) of this contradiction. The Dean has apologised for his so-called "mistakes" when he wrote;

“I regret mistakes that I made in the safeguarding processes and I understand that, upon reflection, it would have been more helpful if I had co-operated more fully with the Korris Review. I now add my own apology to that of the Bishop of Winchester and Archbishop of Canterbury to the vulnerable person at the heart of this matter." From HERE

To any objectively minded person ITV/CTV's report (below), its subsequent refusal to acknowledge the English Language, and its total refusal to question Senator Bailhache's misleading and contradictory, Press Statement, one has to come to the conclusion this is nothing more than "OPINION MANAGEMENT"

We must also remember there is an alleged victim here (besides ITV/CTV viewer(s)) who is conveniently (for some) being air-brushed out of history. The lady who should be at the centre of this mis-managed shambles who claims she was abused by the churchwarden, then dragged through Jersey's so-called "JUSTICE SYSTEM" and kicked off the Island and left penniless, and destitute, in mainland England.

The victim, known as "HG" might very well feel she has been kicked in the teeth by ITV/CTV but hopefully will gain a little satisfaction in the knowledge that she is not alone when it comes to CTV kicking Abuse Victims/Survivors in the teeth CTV HAS FORM after accepting an award for cutting and pasting another, evidence lacking, REPORT.

So contrary to the media spin peddled by ITV/CTV and Senator Bailhache, there is no document, I am aware of, in the public domain that exonerates the Jersey Dean, or the Island's clergy, other than Philip Bailhache's Press Release. There are, however, at least two documents that say the Dean, and others, are far from exonerated and have serious questions to answer HERE and HERE. 

For those who have an interest in the facts behind the media spin concerning the whole sorry case of the way "HG" has been treated, and related matters, they can be read on the very informative, and researched, Blog of former Jersey politician and 30 year MET Police veteran Bob Hill B.E.M. HERE.

To quote George Orwell "Journalism is printing what someone else does not want printing: everything else is Public Relations."

Good work ITV/CTV you really have Philip Bailhache on the ropes with this grilling. 

Jersey Dean Who Exonerated him?

Senator Philip Bailhache has published a Press Release claiming that the Dame Heather Steel Report has exonerated the Dean of Jersey and the Jersey Clergy. Yet in the same Press Release he criticises Bishop Tim Dakin for not publishing the (unfinished) Steel Report.

This begs the question how does Philip Bailhache know the Steel Report exonerates (or otherwise) ANYBODY when it is unfinished and he's complaining it is unpublished? Nobody is supposed to have seen this Report yet Philip Bailhache claims to know what's in it?

Naturally parts of the local State Media have given Senator Bailhache the platform he was looking for in order to peddle his Press Release totally unchallenged and not least by ITV Channel Television where the Senator was interviewed on last night's 6pm "news" programme and was not asked the most obvious question(s) (surprise surprise) WHERE DOES THE STEEL REPORT SAY ANYBODY HAS BEEN "EXONERATED"/HOW DO YOU KNOW WHAT IT SAYS IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN IT?

I e-mailed ITV Channel Television and asked them;

"On tonight's edition of your 6pm news programme Senator Philip Bailhache was interviewed by Mark McQuillan concerning the Dame Heather Steel Report. On a number of occasions Mr. McQuillan, and Senator Bailhache, stated that the Report had exonerated the Jersey Dean/Clergy.

Could I ask what Report Mr. McQuillan, and Senator Bailhache, were referring to? It clearly can't be the un-finished Dame Heather Report because that hasn't been published.

Is there another Report which has exonerated the Jersey Dean/Clergy? If so could you tell me where I could find a copy of it please? I'm not aware of any Report that has exonerated the Jersey Dean or Clergy."(END)

Below is Senator Bailhache's Press Release that makes no mention of the alleged Abuse Victim "HG", who he has, in a previous letter to the Archbishop of Canterbury, labelled this Abuse Victim as the Abuser, the letter can be read HERE.

Senator Sir Philip Bailhache

PRESS RELEASE

24 November 2013

"I am delighted that the Dean and his clergy have been exonerated by the Steel report but appalled by the Bishop of Winchester’s expressed intention to suppress its publication on what appear to be very specious grounds. The Bishop agreed with the Bailiff and the Dean that he would pass copies of the report to them, and he should honour that promise.

He asserts that he has given an undertaking not to release the report after representations from an interested person. As it is clear that the report makes no criticism of the Dean or clergy in Jersey, the only people who might be concerned about criticism in the report are those in or near the entourage of the Bishop. The unidentified interested party is either the person who made the original report which wrongly impugned the Dean, or a member of the Bishop’s staff. As Ms Korris’s report was published without its even being shown to the Dean, there can be no justification for acceding to any representation from her. As to the Bishop’s staff, it would be outrageous for the Bishop to protect them at the expense of Jersey’s reputation for safeguarding, and a full explanation of why the Dean has been exonerated. The Dean and the clergy are entitled to the publication of the complete Steel report so that their reputations can be fully restored in the eyes of the public.

The Bishop asserts that “questions remain about safeguarding best practice …”. Dame Heather Steel was charged to investigate whether there was any failure to “act in accordance with the Diocesan Safeguarding Procedure”.  We are all entitled to know her conclusions on that issue were. The Bishop should act in accordance with paragraph 10 of the Terms of Reference that he issued, and deliver a copy of the final report to the Bailiff and Dean as soon as he has received it."(END)

How does Senator Bailhache know  "it is clear that the report makes no criticism of the Dean or clergy in Jersey?" How can he be "delighted that the Dean and his clergy have been exonerated by the Steel report?" when in the same Press Release he complains "Dame Heather Steel was charged to investigate whether there was any failure to “act in accordance with the Diocesan Safeguarding Procedure”.  We are all entitled to know her conclusions on that issue were." The Senator seems to know that everybody in Jersey has been exonerated, how-come he doesn't know the conclusion the safeguarding issue?

This Press Release, in my opinion, was a (not so) carefully orchestrated piece of spin to artificially restore the reputation of the Dean/Clergy and Jersey. Published with the full knowledge that the State Media will not question/challenge him or it......As seen on ITV Cannel Television last night.

If the Dean has been "exonerated" then why did he APOLOGISE and why wasn't that question asked of Philip Bailhache on State Media last night?

Yet possibly one of the most "laughable?" sentence's in the Press Release has got to be this: "As to the Bishop’s staff, it would be outrageous for the Bishop to protect them at the expense of Jersey’s reputation for safeguarding" JERSEY'S REPUTATION FOR SAFEGUARDING? IS HE FOR REAL? Yet he wasn't questioned on this either.

If only we had a mainstream media who realised that it's a journalist's job to challenge/scrutinise power rather than be a part of it. If only we had a mainstream media who spoke up for those who had no power/voice then ITV Channel Television might have had "HG" sat on their couch last night and not Philip Bailhache. If only we had a mainstream media who scared authority rather than could be relied upon to scare the powerless and voiceless....................If only.

3rd Anniversary of Abuse victim's deportation and STILL no support From Jersey Church/Establishment.

October 11th 2013 marked the third anniversary of the deportation of alleged abuse victim known as "HG." HG had reported (to the Dean of Jersey) that she was abused by a churchwarden. A subsequent Report was published, known as the KORRIS REPORT which was damming against the Dean and saw his commission suspended by Bishop Tim Dakin. Later to be reinstated after he (the Dean) APOLOGISED.

Since the publication of the Korris Report We have seen the Establishment CLOSE RANKS in order to protect.......The victim? No.....The Dean. It looks to have begun with this RECOGNISED FORMULA with the inevitable intrusion of Senator Philip Bailhache writing a letter to The Most Rev and Rt Hon Lord Archbishop of Canterbury in order to support.........The victim?.....No the Dean. Not only did Senator Bailhache support the Dean in this LETTER but he went one step further and labelled the victim as the abuser!

There has, in the opinion of Team Voice, been a relentless attack on HG who was treated appallingly by the Jersey authorities including being deported to England, left penniless and homeless as described by former Deputy Bob Hill (below).

Credit must go to State Radio for covering this story (3rd anniversary of HG's deportation) because as far as we are aware none of the rest of the State Media has bothered. But still one of the most burning questions hasn't been answered; Who from the church in Jersey has openly come out in support of HG? Where has the message of Jesus gone? How is it that an abuse victim can be treated in such an appalling manner and the church remain so silent? How is it that, if we remember Jesus was anti establishment, and crucified for speaking out against the establishment, that the establishment are now protecting/supporting his messenger (the Dean)? When did Jesus become part of the establishment?

The only open support this poor victim (HG) has received is from former DEPUTY BOB HILL , and local Bloggers and commenters to the Blogs.

Although Bob Hill was not (adequately) challenged by State Radio during the interview below neither was Bruce Willing published on RICO SORDA BLOG when he was in the studio the same morning.

Isn't it time the media starting challenging something/someone/anything/somebody? That said, at least the BBC made a lame effort which is more than the rest of the State Media has done. Will they be questioning as to whether Dame Heather Steele's Report will be worth the paper it is written on? Will they be questioning the Dame's apparent conflicts of interests? The Police's conflicts of interest? Who will be interested in the safety and well-being of HG, who until she was allegedly abused in Jersey or reported that she was abused was leading a perfectly happy life. Now she is penniless and homeless after being deported from the island. One wonders if she wished she had stayed quiet about the alleged abuse. Indeed after hearing what has happened to HG who will now speak out against/report abuse?


VFC credit BBC State Radio for this recording.

Business As Usual/The Jersey Way.

After the Dean of Jersey, Bob Key, had his commission renewed by the Bishop of Winchester, Tim Dakin, the Dean was back in the island's parliament after a 7 week absence while his commission had been withdrawn.

Regular readers of this Blog Site and that of former Deputy BOB HILL's will be aware that the Dean's commission was withdrawn after the publication of "The Korris Report" which outlined numerous failings, of the Dean, concerning safeguarding issues involving an alleged victim of abuse (now known as "HG") at the hands of a church warden.

Some of the Dean's failings are listed here (from Korris Report).

Alleged victim "H.G."

Bob Key "R.K."

Page 9.

5 days later R.K responded from his deanofjersey work email account saying, “I have not been able to access my gov.je email for a few days so have only just found this”.This seems disingenuous as H.G. had not sent her email to that address. It implies that Dean R.K. had just discovered its contents whereas it is highly likely that he had already discussed it with other recipients, not least with Vicar

Page 23.

H.G. felt disbelieved and publicly humiliated. In reaction to her sense of getting no adequate response to any of the issues she raised she appealed to the higher authority of the Bishop, to Lambeth Palace, and to the media in the form of BBC Jersey, all to no effect. Following this she went on a much publicised offensive against any number of people connected to the Church.

Page 25.

Following this H.G. was arrested for breaking a harassment order, brought before the magistrate and as she had no money, was at that time of no fixed abode and appeared mentally distressed, she was remanded in custody.

Safeguarding Advisor J.F. records her concern at these extreme measures and worked at setting up care for her with the prison chaplain. She is shocked when on 11th October H.G. was bound over and summarily deported from the Island for three years and put on a plane with no-one to meet her, no planned accommodation and no money. J.F. wrote to Bishop Michael, “Whilst I don’t think this is our responsibility in that the court decision and action was not of our making, I do feel we have a basic responsibility, as we would have for anyone, to do all we can to ensure her wellbeing

Page 33.

There seems to be no spirit of willingness or inquiry in this matter. I found that some of the Island clergy had been actively discouraged by the Dean of Jersey from fully engaging with me and therefore complying with the Bishop’s request.

Page 37

However, as a result of the absence, or withholding, of records on Jersey and Dean R.K.’s resistance to co-operate with my requests, against the expressed desire of his Bishop, I have had to look more deeply into the possible reasons for this and comment upon whether there are disciplinary matters involved.

Page 37

The Church let H.G. down. Despite the difficulties of her background and disablement, and struggle with some everyday practicalities, H.G. was none-the-less in employment, pursuing hobbies, socializing and wanting to be accepted in the church community. Over the next three years H.G.’s life changed from having no history of being in trouble with the law, to having a police record and being a displaced person, homeless on the streets of the mainland.

Page 38.

Dean R.K. has not refuted H.G.’s description of their meeting. The only witness was Dean R.K.’s personal assistant who is his wife and she has refused to be interviewed for this Review.

Page 40.

Safeguarding Advisor J.F. described the annual training sessions on Safeguarding she had offered on Jersey over the past seven or eight years. She was not aware that the Dean of Jersey had attended at any time.(END)

Regular readers will be aware that church lobbyists, to include,former Bailiff, and now Senator Philip Bailhache, wrote to Bishop Dakin, not to support the victim ("HG") but to support the Dean. 

Senator Bailhache actually went one step further in his LETTER as he went on to label "HG" as the abuser where he wrote;

"it was clearly considered by all concerned that that order was in the best interests both of HG and those she had abused." Thus portraying the victim as the perpetrator, or "The Jersey Way" as it has become known.

So the Dean has had his commission renewed and was/is back in his seat at the island's parliament much to the delight of many States Members and to the huge delight of the Bailiff who is the (unelected) speaker of the parliament.

The Bailiff, Michael Birt, gave a rousing speech (below) in support of the Dean in appreciation of his return. This speech DID NOT acknowledge the victim "HG" and went on to receive rapturous applause, in the way of foot-stamping, by the vast majority of our politicians........But not by all.

Anti Child Abuse/corruption campaigner, Deputy Trevor Pitman, spoke in support of "HG" and nobody stamped their feet in support/appreciation of "HG" or Deputy Pitman although Deputy Montfort Tadier did add his support which was quickly shut down by the (unelected) Bailiff.

Constable Juliette Gallichan rose to her feet to proclaim "Deputy Pitman does not speak on behalf of me" So a politician (Deputy Trevor Pitman) gives support to an abuse victim and fellow politician (Juliette Gallichan) goes out of her way to distance herself from that support?

Long time readers might recall Constable Gallichan was the Chairman of the Privileges and Procedures Committee (PPC), back in 2010 when the then (illegally suspended) Chief Police Officer, Graham Power QPM, wrote a letter addressed to the "Chairman" of PPC which we published HERE. Constable Gallichan DID NOT share that letter with her committee and went on to reply to the Chief Police Officer HERE again without sharing it with PPC Members. Mr. Power QPM was (illegally?") suspended while his Police Force was involved in the biggest Child Abuse investigation ("Operation Rectangle") the island has ever seen. He was looking for support from PPC..............He never got any.

What the (edited) video below demonstrates to us is that despite "Operation Rectangle", despite the Jimmy Savile (who allegedly abused in Jersey) atrocities and despite all the blustering of "we have learnt lessons" the truth is, in the Jersey Parliament, no lessons have been learnt. Abuse Victims/Survivors get next to NO recognition/support yet those who fail them appear to be hailed as heroes........... Business as usual in Jersey..........The Jersey Way.

Credit, and thanks, to TJW for this recording.