Page 14 | BBC Presenter and yet more allegations

friendlycat · 2023-07-11T22:28:02+00:00

It would appear that the front page of tomorrow’s The Sun has further allegations about messages with a new 17 year old. Creepy hearts etc Scrolling through Sky news and seeing front pages of the papers. This appears bottom right on The Sun front page.

IClaudine · 12/07/2023 09:57

BTW, if the presenter has does anything illegal, I would expect there is a fair chance it might not come to trial as the presenter can argue that there is no way they will ever get a fair trial now. Another reason we should all shut up.

LaDeeDa123 · 12/07/2023 09:58

@DeliciouslyDecadent how many times do people have to explain to you that the law is complex. If there are indecent photographs of this young person and they are under the age of 18 a criminal offence has been committed

MrsRobinsonsHandprints · 12/07/2023 09:58

Lalgarh · 12/07/2023 09:44

Here's a theory, courtesy of a user on Another Board (JTT) on how this might have started.

Presenter and young person (YP) hook up online with YP claiming to be 18+.
‘Racy’ materials exchanged. YP then confesses to being U18 and threatens to go public unless cash is paid.
Presenter pays up £35k over three years. YP’s drug habit worsens, asks for more money, Presenter says “No”.
YP tells parents who go to the BBC with tale of exploitation.
Presenter gives account to BBC which amounts to a victim of sextortion defence. BBC now ???

Because if that is what happened paying 35K is the only option? He is rich, he has lawyers, he could have gone to the police and got a super injunction and the blackmailer would have been dealt with. I'm concerned at how keen some are to excuse him.

Juanmartinez · 12/07/2023 09:58

SirVixofVixHall · 12/07/2023 09:55

I agree with this. I also feel that the age of consent being 16 muddies the waters and allows people to think that a 16 year old is an adult for sexual purposes. A sixteen year old is still a child, quite possibly still growing. For instance I didn’t start my periods until I was 16. The age of consent was set at 16 because marriage at 16 was legal. Age of consent should be raised to 18 now. Then there wouldn’t be this discrepancy where sex is legal but images illegal.

There is surely an area between illegal and unsavoury where social pressure and censure serves a role to check behaviour that is immoral and repugnant to most people in society. The power imbalance and potential for exploitation in this situation and similar ones, is where strong social disapproval should act as a deterrent. So the “nobody’s business, private matter” attitude means that this behaviour has no consequences . I don’t think sexually exploiting teenagers is acceptable behaviour.

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Yes , 100% agree.

Lalgarh · 12/07/2023 09:59

IAmSalmaFuckingHayek · 12/07/2023 09:51

It’s never the man’s fault is it?
Always with these scenarios to take the blame away from a disgusting man, yet again, who prioritises his dick above decent behaviour.

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Its not so much that it's a case of Not The Disgusting MANs fault as rather if he didn't know the 1st chap was U18 he could claim he was not aware he was breaking the law. He's a sleazebag but not knowingly a sex case.
And now the 1st chap had come out with that statement saying it was all "rubbish".

Luckily for The Sun this anonymous thing has now flushed out 2 more claims . 1 that he broke lockdown to pester someone else's s another case.
The lockdown breaking is of course more newsworthy if it's, say a newsreader but maybe less so if say it's someone else like a host

TheHairyHazelnut · 12/07/2023 10:00

The problem with the element of criminality here is that it can lead to a black/white viewpoint in which...

if it's illegal it's wrong
and if it turns out no crrime has been committed, then some conclude he's done nothing wrong

He's a TV presenter. For that to be a successful career, the public need to like him - at least to the extent where they can watch him.

If it turns out he did nothing illegal but 'just' goes around looking for hookups with 18-20 year olds and then uses his ego and power to threaten them when they won't behave as he wants them to - he's a dickhead and I don't much want to see him on my TV.

Even in relationships between two consenting adults, it's not OK to threaten someone just because they want to talk about that relationship. As soon as you hook up, you become part of their experiences and they are quite within their rights to talk about those experiences. You might think badly of them for it. You might express how hurt or disappointed you are that they did so. What you cannot do is threaten them to shut them up.

Only a total shit does that. One whose career relies on the public liking him: that's someone who is a shit AND stupid.

IClaudine · 12/07/2023 10:01

Plbrookes · 12/07/2023 09:56

"Convenient" = "I am a conspiracy theorist"

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Do you not remember 9/11?

Qilin · 12/07/2023 10:03

Translucentwaters · 12/07/2023 08:16

I can’t believe we are FUNDING this depravity.

Yes, that’s our money being funnelled into this horrendous despicable harm to children, and they are children. Created by a man who considered himself far too powerful and untouchable to be held accountable for his sordid actions.

This is escalating into something far, far worse than we initially thought.

You aren't funding it.

Just like you aren't finding the life style and purchasing choices if a teacher, a police officer, a doctor, etc.

You pay for a service. That's what you're money is for.

What someone does with their salary is up to them. Just because you pay money towards the service/company they work for doesn't mean that you have any thing to do with how the employees spend their money.

Novella4 · 12/07/2023 10:03

I’m horrified to see some posters implying that social media contact between an adult and someone under 18 is totally fine

Dont you understand why that is problematic even before the facts are revealed ? There is an imbalance of power

And to those saying you can marry at 16 , yes , but as far as I know sexual abuse laws still apply up to 18

I stopped reading/ trusting the BBC years and years ago .
Their handling of this is extremely poor.
There is plenty of information they could give the ( licence fee paying!)public without naming the person

Lalgarh · 12/07/2023 10:10

I realise the Grain has vested interest in skewering The S*n but if they have messed this up this could be serious for them
https://www.theguardian.com/media/2023/jul/11/five-questions-for-the-sun-on-its-story-about-the-suspended-bbc-presenter

Five questions for the Sun on its story about the suspended BBC presenter

As the Sun distances itself from a key part of the story, questions hang over what actions it took before publishing

https://www.theguardian.com/media/2023/jul/11/five-questions-for-the-sun-on-its-story-about-the-suspended-bbc-presenter

fromdownwest · 12/07/2023 10:11

Lalgarh · 12/07/2023 10:10

I realise the Grain has vested interest in skewering The S*n but if they have messed this up this could be serious for them
https://www.theguardian.com/media/2023/jul/11/five-questions-for-the-sun-on-its-story-about-the-suspended-bbc-presenter

Extension of the BBC hates the sun - Shocker.

Countdowntowinter · 12/07/2023 10:14

Novella4 · 12/07/2023 10:03

I’m horrified to see some posters implying that social media contact between an adult and someone under 18 is totally fine

Dont you understand why that is problematic even before the facts are revealed ? There is an imbalance of power

And to those saying you can marry at 16 , yes , but as far as I know sexual abuse laws still apply up to 18

I stopped reading/ trusting the BBC years and years ago .
Their handling of this is extremely poor.
There is plenty of information they could give the ( licence fee paying!)public without naming the person

It's the imbalance of power. It can/might be used by some for unscrupulous ends. Groomers can use power and status over others who are younger, have no power or status and who might look up to them.

Lalgarh · 12/07/2023 10:14

fromdownwest · 12/07/2023 10:11

Extension of the BBC hates the sun - Shocker.

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Extension of The Sun's culture war on The BBC. Shocker etc etc

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10197111/Rupert-Murdoch-told-PM-rid-BBC-bouncing-Wilfred-knee.html

Rupert Murdoch told PM he MUST get rid of the BBC

Rachel Johnson claimed the media mogul 'dandled' Mr Johnson's son Wilfred on his knee at Chequers as he made the case for scrapping the licence fee-funded broadcaster.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10197111/Rupert-Murdoch-told-PM-rid-BBC-bouncing-Wilfred-knee.html

DeliciouslyDecadent · 12/07/2023 10:15

Dont you understand why that is problematic even before the facts are revealed ? There is an imbalance of power

Don't you understand that you can't use your opinion as 'law'.

An imbalance of power is not against the law. It's a subjective opinion.

What about Macron and his wife? Is that too an imbalance of power?
Or Mick Jagger and his very young girlfriends?
Is there a LAW against an older man having a relationship with a younger woman?

Or is this homophobia again?

Translucentwaters · 12/07/2023 10:17

Qilin · 12/07/2023 10:03

You aren't funding it.

Just like you aren't finding the life style and purchasing choices if a teacher, a police officer, a doctor, etc.

You pay for a service. That's what you're money is for.

What someone does with their salary is up to them. Just because you pay money towards the service/company they work for doesn't mean that you have any thing to do with how the employees spend their money.

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Actually we are paying his wages and yes teachers, police etc too. We are therefore entitled to expect cordial law abiding behaviour and scrutiny.
Positions of authority always come with strings attached- I am very surprised you are not aware of that.

In this case his excessive salary seems to have been used to abuse teenagers. His position in society abused to take advantage of vulnerable teenagers. I think the public will be rightly horrified.

pintery · 12/07/2023 10:19

Hungrycaterpillarsmummy · 11/07/2023 23:39

The sun will be seeking out and paying £££ to keep their crap story alive.

So fucking what he sent some emojis to someone. The first person doesn't want to proceed with anything, the second has said the presenter sent mean messages when he had hinted he would name the presenter online, the Third met up with him, the 4th received some emojis.

Fuck me. This is such a load of nonsense

Exactly. This should be such a non story but the people concerned have been sucked into Murdoch's hatred of the BBC. If everyone in the media made the papers for using a heart emoji in a message there'd be nobody left. Absolutely ridiculous.

Translucentwaters · 12/07/2023 10:19

DeliciouslyDecadent · 12/07/2023 10:15

Dont you understand why that is problematic even before the facts are revealed ? There is an imbalance of power

Don't you understand that you can't use your opinion as 'law'.

An imbalance of power is not against the law. It's a subjective opinion.

What about Macron and his wife? Is that too an imbalance of power?
Or Mick Jagger and his very young girlfriends?
Is there a LAW against an older man having a relationship with a younger woman?

Or is this homophobia again?

None were under the age of eighteen though. Even Mick Jagger has standards.

France is in a different country altogether so not sure what that has to do with anything!

fromdownwest · 12/07/2023 10:20

Translucentwaters · 12/07/2023 10:17

Actually we are paying his wages and yes teachers, police etc too. We are therefore entitled to expect cordial law abiding behaviour and scrutiny.
Positions of authority always come with strings attached- I am very surprised you are not aware of that.

In this case his excessive salary seems to have been used to abuse teenagers. His position in society abused to take advantage of vulnerable teenagers. I think the public will be rightly horrified.

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Any position of 'power' comes with responsibilities. One must adhere to the fit and proper standards.

Senior Civil Servants, Police officers, teachers and other professionals.

If he is happy to enjoy his £400k plus PUBLIC funded salary, then, he must take the responsibilty to act accordingly that comes with it.

Translucentwaters · 12/07/2023 10:20

pintery · 12/07/2023 10:19

Exactly. This should be such a non story but the people concerned have been sucked into Murdoch's hatred of the BBC. If everyone in the media made the papers for using a heart emoji in a message there'd be nobody left. Absolutely ridiculous.

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How can the abuse of young vulnerable teenagers possibly be s ‘non story’?

Translucentwaters · 12/07/2023 10:20

fromdownwest · 12/07/2023 10:20

Any position of 'power' comes with responsibilities. One must adhere to the fit and proper standards.

Senior Civil Servants, Police officers, teachers and other professionals.

If he is happy to enjoy his £400k plus PUBLIC funded salary, then, he must take the responsibilty to act accordingly that comes with it.

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Precisely.

TheHairyHazelnut · 12/07/2023 10:22

Yes, yes, yes to Murdoch being an evil scumbag whose influence on the UK has caused untold misery for us all.

I don't doubt he's using this as a weapon to beat the BBC. Quite why the ancient old twat cares now, is beyond me. What difference will it ever make to him now?

StefanosHill · 12/07/2023 10:22

pintery · 12/07/2023 10:19

Exactly. This should be such a non story but the people concerned have been sucked into Murdoch's hatred of the BBC. If everyone in the media made the papers for using a heart emoji in a message there'd be nobody left. Absolutely ridiculous.

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Would you feel like this if it was your dc, if you have them, at the same age

beguilingeyes · 12/07/2023 10:22

WinniFinniHadog · 12/07/2023 08:15

One thing I think of when these stories come out is that if it were a 18-20 year old woman, the TV presenter was messaging online and meeting, people would just think "sleeze ball" or "dirty old man" on the whole.

But every time it's about a homosexual activity/ relationship/cheating it's now suddenly "immoral". Some think any contact with young adults is immoral, but some I believe think it's even more immoral because it's homosexual.

If when the wash is done it turns out that this BBC presenter has committed no crime, but was dating/contacting young men 18-20, I can't say I'm going to be in a moral frenzy about it. People have personal lives, people hide their homosexuality, people make bad choices, but none of that is crime. So I'm a bit live and let live if that scenario plays out I'm afraid.

Yes, yes to this. There was a strong whiff of homophobia about the Schofield thing too. Someone up-thread called it 'depravity'.
Maybe one of the reasons the George Osborne thing hasn't got as much traction is because he's heterosexual.

StefanosHill · 12/07/2023 10:23

pintery · 12/07/2023 10:19

Exactly. This should be such a non story but the people concerned have been sucked into Murdoch's hatred of the BBC. If everyone in the media made the papers for using a heart emoji in a message there'd be nobody left. Absolutely ridiculous.

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And not just the ‘heart emoji’ part but all allegations

Fairyliz · 12/07/2023 10:24

Fuckitydoodah · 12/07/2023 07:26

The allegations are grim and morally shady, but no law has been broken.

Does this person deserve to have their life ruined?

If it is who we think it is, it's been documented that they've had severe depression in the past. I should think after this they'll be a suicide risk. That would be awful.

If the first person was under 18 then a law has been broken.
Lots of people suffer from depression, that doesn’t make them do things that are illegal/immoral.
Or are you suggesting you can use depression as an excuse and do what you like? Perhaps Prince Andrew should have tried that one.