Rebekah Brooks charged :)

[NicholasTeakozy]

Short version here I'll have a dig for more details. Oh happy day! :o

she dyes her hair?

In the case of Stephen Lawrence, it was the Daily Mail 'Five Suspects' front page which really pushed that case into the spotlight. Before that (if I recall correctly) there had just been the Kent Police 'move along, nothing to see here,' investigation.
Am looking forward to an investigation into police corruption on that case...

MrsDeVEre I agree that they are very brave and also used but that's not their fault. I don't think anybody could stand up to the shit they've had.

I'm reminded of when Milly went missing and the way that was reported. I don't know for sure but having covered things like that I got that distinct impression that reporters were getting a steer from Surrey Police that all was not well in the Dowler household.

Then there were subtle smears that Milly was a little madam and had run away.

And then I suspected at Bellfield's eventual trial during the horrible questioning of Bob Dowler that the police had been assiduously briefing that Bob Dowler was a perv who had creepy porn and that was - or worse - why she'd run off.

And the porn was never specified. And no matter what it was he didn't kill her and it swfitly became obvious to Surrey Police that he was innocent and they should have been looking for someone else. Someone like Bellfield who was known to them and who apparently they'd doorstepped but was out. Lazy bastards.

Because sometimes the police are unimaginative and prejudiced. And often they co-opt reporters in their investigations and many reporters see it would be a more exciting role as some kind of bit part in a detective series rather than just listening and interpreting.

Fucking idiots, all of them. That's why Milly was missing for so long and that's why other girls died.

I keep saying the Surrey Police have to be called to account for their negligence and stupidlity over this.

That was the Met, wasn't it?

(sorry, that was to Aboutlastnight re Stephen Lawrence)

Yes, ponders. but it does make you wonder how far this poison reached? Maybe it has no connection with corrupt officers in Catford and other bits of south London but it needs to be looked at.

the Macpherson inquiry only looked at the Met IIRC

I would assume though that most forces bordering London have similar issues (& probably many others as well)

Nancy yes, they ran an article saying that Milly was due at a temp agency appointment, but never called them back (or words to that effect), which they could only have known from the VM message from the temp agency.

I, too, have been with this story for what seems like years now! good ol' grauniad. very impressed with the way they've kept on this story and their coverage has been so solid and careful.

also, i think private eye deserve some credit as they ran the original Hugh Grant story when McMullen spilled his story to him when Grant gave him a lift.

Kent Police initially investigated complaints into the Met's handling of the Stephen Lawrence case and produced a report. It was only later that the whole inquiry was held.

I was a crime reporter yonks ago and remember getting the Kent Police report into my hot little hands.

Sorry. Milly didn't run off. She loved her family and they loved her. She was abducted and murdered by Bellfield.

But Bellfield's defence was able to use the original inept police investigation to suggest that she was unhappy at home and that was tragic and shameful.

Bornsicky -wasn't it a wrong number, as well? So the temp agency thing was a complete red herring - Milly Dowler had never applied for a job with them. As you say, she didn't run away, she was snatched and murdered by an evil man who the police didn't bother to question because they were too busy imagining her poor Father had something to do with it.

All I'm suggesting limitedperiod is that, were RB to squeal about everything she knows, she could bring many a high profile individual down in 24 hours. And I suspect many of them are all too aware of that fact.

oh, sorry, aboutlastnight - I didn't remember that at all

pretty depressing all round

Anagram, her memory seems very poor indeed. How could we possibly rely on its accuracy.

Harold Evans was compulsive viewing yesterday, settling old scores. Jay and Levenson seemed as enthralled as I was - 'tell us another story Uncle Harry' :)

What I found interesting was when it hit the fan about Milly Dowler, Murdoch flew straight to the UK and thats when we saw the pictures of him and Brooks walking down the street, both smiling for the cameras like they had just won the lottery. Where were THIER PR's (and stylists - she wore a blouse that pulled at the bust and a hideous, dated, Coldplay style military jacket!) to coach them how to behave appropriately? Their whole demeanour was wrong that day and his comment about 'this one' being his priority when he was about to close the NOTW was stupid. Then came the simpering smiles of Broks and Brooks when they left Levenson. Compare that to her hard-as-nails face after she was charged. I'm sure a lot of staff in her time have seen that face.

anagram I agree that some people will be shitting themselves at the prospect of Brooks' evidence. But you didn't say that at first.

You said that she would escape a custodial sentence or possibly prosecution at all by calling in favours. That is a conspiracy theory too far.

Our society is riddled with backscratching. But sometimes it doesn't work as she's finding out now.

She's being prosecuted, despite the frankly embarrassing attempts by her solicitors to get the charges dropped. Who knows? It might work, but I imagine they're doing it chiefly because their delusional and arrogant client is paying the bill.

If found guilty, and no one is saying she is, she will get a severe custodial sentence. That's the law.

How are friends in high places going to intervene in that process even if they wanted to? Ever heard of Conrad Black?

MrsDeVere sorry for your loss. I tried to get back on last night because I forgot to say that but MN had gone down.

I didn't believe you did condone any of this stuff.

It's very hard to understand why certain people are portrayed in the light they are unless you know how the industry works.

And why would anyone with a different job know that or have time to find it out?

I'll confess that I went along with the received wisdom that Sir Ian Blair was a blundering prat.

Now I'm thinking: 'Hang on. Was that just because he resisted champagne lunches and stays in Champneys because he couldn't do his job if he was in bed with NI like others in the Met?'

Or maybe he was a blundering prat. Some things you read in the papers turn out to be true.

Even if she was found guilty I must say I will be extremely surprised if she gets a prison sentence of more than a feeble three months or so. But I was completely surprised she was charged. It will be interesting to see what the next charges are. There's supposed to be more in the pipeline.

Loved MarySA's comment - so true. The levels of amnesia in the upper echelons of NI is quite remarkable. Private Eye did a wonderful cover a few weeks back with Old Murd being asked why he couldn't remember anything. His response? "I can't recall"!

Limitedperiod, I can't disagree with what you say and I don't suppose for a minute Conrad Black thought he would end up in a big black van. There's just a little voice in my head, which I hope is nothing more than cynicism with this bunch of weasels gone too far, that would not be surprised if RB manages to pull off some master stroke that gets her off the very large pile of dung that she currently sits atop.

i'll be interested to know what's happening with the other police officers and journalists that were arrested and whether they have turned evidence against Ms Brooks and Co. in return for immunity or some kind of lower sentencing.

I seem to reall there's been at least 5 police officers incriminated and about 7 other journos, including Myler and Crone (lawyer) who have been arrested at various points.

The other huge piece of evidence that is yet to be unravelled is the sum of the documents from NI's solicitors who were involved in the payoff of the football manager (whose name escapes me right now).

I would imagine it's becoming quite difficult for Leveson and the police to keep their enquiries running parallel now that charges are being raised. Potentially, they are waiting until each person has given their Leveson evidence before charging, so they can avoid legal wranglings betwixt the two.

Shall be so angry if the chargesa re dropped due to some silly technicality. I really think the public deserve to hear this trail in open court and fully understand what has happened here.

Anagram

Good question. Do those who answer (c) suffer with overwhelming self confidence and arrogance which leads them to make risible errors?

Dunno.

I would have gone the low-tech yet effective sledgehammer route, personally.

at anagram

A dim bulb indeed!

But if you answered (c) you could use the cunning defence that no-one guilty of a major crime would dream of such a stupid way of disposing of evidence.

Alternatively you could always play safe and use a steamroller and a dustpan and brush followed by a cruise on Murdoch's yacht over the Mariana Trench.

Anagram, I saw that Private Eye cover too. It was a Classic!