A former police officer, his son and two journalists have been cleared of charges in connection with the alleged leaking of confidential information. Det Sgt Mark Kearney, who was involved in the unrelated bugging of an Labour MP Sadiq Khan's prison visit earlier this year, was cleared of misconduct in public office. His son, Harry, and journalists Sally Murrer and Derek Webb were cleared of aiding and abetting misconduct.
The judge said the journalists' right to protect sources had been infringed. Prosecutor Sir Alan Green QC said the Crown has decided against seeking leave to appeal. Mr Kearney, who has since retired from Thames Valley police, had faced eight charges of misconduct in public office, three of which alleged he passed confidential information to Mr Webb and five of which related to Ms Murrer, his former lover.
One count of aiding and abetting misconduct in public office against Mr Kearney's son, Harry, a soldier, was also dropped. All four were formally acquitted at Kingston Crown Court. Mr Justice Southwell said the journalists were both entitled, under Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights, to protect their journalistic sources. But Thames Valley Police had flouted the convention by raiding Mr Webb's premises and authorising the bugging of Mr Kearney's car to discover if he was the source of the journalists' information, the court heard.
Friday, November 28, 2008
Police Officer Found Not Guilty of Damian Green's "Crime"
This has just hit the wires. It relates to a simialr charge to the one on which Damian Green was held yesterday...
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10 comments:
Brilliant timing. you could not have arranged it better to embarrass the stupid and sinister actions of Plod yesterday.
Red faces at New Scotland Yard and Labour Party HQ I hope.
The Penguin
Two alternatives:
1) Ministers knew - we live in an authoritarian state,
2) Ministers didn't know - we live in a police state.
Watching the BBC lunchtime news I wondered why the Mumbai business was dominant. Of course an update would be required - but three segments including a summing up? Then a bit about Damian Green and then a segment of about the same lenght, maybe a tad longer about the Weymouth 2012 Olympic sailing site THAT'S COME IN ON TIME AND ON BUDGET. Well what did they have to do but build a few jettys and soem accommodation - it's the bloody sea!!! Complete drivel. You did well to get your point across after the presenter allowed Joshua Rozenberg to waffle on for a while saying not very much at all other than the bleedin' obvious.
"Simialr charge"? You must be rattled by this, if you are typing so quickly you cannot spell properly.
To Ranter, please don't bother listening to BBC, aka Pravda. They and Sky have joined Zanu-Labour. I listen to LBC for any sort of news about what's going on. Try any local commercial radio station or blogs to know what's really going on.
Daniel Clarke @ 2.14 pm - when your evil regime is toppled, it won't be enough to say you were only obeying orders. Instead of encouraging your leaders in their evil quest to destroy the world's greatest democracy, surely you should all call them to order at your party's meetings, and advise them of the grave consequences of attacking the constitution and fabric of this country. That would be more useful than writing to opposition blogs or indeed running for Parliament in parts of the country where the name of your party, ZanuLabour is now synonymous with all that is vile and anti-British.
>>..Thames Valley Police had flouted the convention by raiding Mr Webb's premises and authorising the bugging of Mr Kearney's car ..<<
I wonder if the Terrorist (sic)Police have bugged Damian Green's Parliament office?
Is that allowed, too?
First, well done to African Mum for hitting the nail truly on the head with regard to Daniel Clarke, and by extension to all of his ilk.
Second, all the clues of recent months (and indeed years) have pointed toward the more blatant and brazen abuses of what might in today's parlance be called "codes of conduct" that we are seeing in this country now.
If it is not dealt with, firmly and permanently, it will worsen here hugely over the next period of time. This can no longer be permitted to continue: yet we have no apparent recourse. The only possible solution that would work is for the Monarch to dissolve Parliament and require that a General Election be held forthwith.
(I don't believe this! The word verification is "bughth" - I've saved the page as proof!)
Bit hard to see how this is in any sense the same "crime" Iain. Or has DG been bugging people in prison visiting rooms?
Bogus comparison if you ask me.
PS I still don't know exactly what DG has (a) done (b) been found out doing (c) not yet been found out doing (d) is suspected of ... do you know??
Someone commented over at mine that Cameron and B Johnson had prior notice of this police action. Is that right?
And, it must be said that finding out what else leakers may have given DG is a legitimate interest of the Met, and if DG is likely to protect his sources etc then bringing him in for questioning may be the only way to progress that.
Who knows? Very very odd.
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