Sara Morrison vs Belfast Film Festival - Thread 2

[TwoLoonsAndASprout]

Continuation of previous thread - don’t have all the details to hand to add here, so if someone can pop them on, pls do! Want to get this up quickly!

This is significant. "I have a concern" must have related to the pronoun issue. You just wouldn't say that if you were in pain and needed to take painkillers.

It will be like the judge in My Cousin Vinny dealing with Joe Pesci

Hi yous, you might be from the big city but this is our wee jurisdiction and we have our own rules and we will nat be impressed by yousens coming intil our tribunal with novel ideas

I've gone down the rabbit hole of searching and come up with nothing that isn't already mentioned. I also asked Claude (AI) to do a search and this is the result:

Claude discovered:
Professor Deborah Boyd was the CEO of Re3, a waste technology company that developed a biomass production plant in Limerick, and won the 2009 NIEA Sustainable Ireland Environmental Leader of the Year award. She was already using the title "Professor" at the time of receiving this award. Oneworld
According to Re3's own materials, she was described as being from County Armagh and "one of Europe's leading environmental entrepreneurs" with expertise in eco-technologies and waste management. Re3group
Companies House records show a Deborah Boyd (born June 1959) from Portadown, County Armagh, who was a director of several property-related companies between 2021-2023. GOV.UK
What I couldn't find:
Despite searching extensively, I found:

• No record of her holding an academic position at any university
• No published research or academic papers
• No evidence of a PhD or doctorate
• No indication of how she obtained the title "Professor"
• No honorary professorship announcements from universities

The mystery remains: The title "Professor" appears in all Re3 company materials from 2009, but there's no publicly available information explaining its origin. Given that she was already using it by 2009 and was described as a business entrepreneur rather than an academic, the source of the title is unclear.

Back to me:
What I find really interesting is that to be on a panel your credentials are v. important and having previously looked at the application process for another ET, out of interest, would require the layperson to have extensive experience/ knowledge of employment law. Being a CEO would suggest that that is probably met, one would imagine, as they would be asked for detail.

However, the title of Professor is utterly confounding. It is incredibly unlikely there would be no online record of how that title was accrued. It is a title of huge status and celebrated in all its iterations as a matter of course by the awarding institutions. If it is honorary that would also be publicly announced as that is the whole point! But also if honorary then the protocal is that you don't actually use it as a title. Honorary titles have to be announced as honorary.

And also one would imagine an ET process would check and confirm titles but maybe not?

Here is the breakdown from google:

Usage guidelines

• Use in formal settings: Use "Professor [Name]" in academic and professional contexts.
• Distinguish the title: Be explicit that the professorship is "honorary," for example, "Professor J.T. Smith, Honorary Professor".
• Avoid specific departments: Do not use the title "Professor of [Subject]" unless that is the specific nature of the honorary appointment, as it is not a permanent or established chair.
• Follow appointment terms: Only use the title for the duration of the appointment as stated in the letter from the university.
• Understand limitations: The title is a courtesy and does not come with the same duties or authority as a full professorship unless specified otherwise.
• Consider the context: In informal situations, it may be acceptable to omit the title, but it is best to follow the individual's preference.

Key points to remember Honorary titles are not established chairs: The title is a recognition of merit and an ongoing association with the university, not a permanent position. Usage must be approved: You can only use the title while your appointment is active and renewed. The title is for specific purposes: The title reflects your contribution and association with the university, not necessarily a specific departmental appointment.

It is very odd indeed that there is nothing online about the getting of the title, no association with any Uni, no honorary award celebration or announcement of a visiting role -- again usually the point. It is not a position awarded in secret.

Even if she is such a private person that she never goes online, the institutions awarding such titles would always make note.

So is it that it was awarded so long ago it doesn't appear? I don't think that can be the case.

Yeah, it just feels 'off'.

Given NC's case was going so well, I just can't see her risking it unless the risk of bias in the panel really was significant (in that she thought she would lose regardless because of it).

There are some really fishy aspects to this case and panel

1. "Professor" Boyd - it seems really unclear where her claims to the title of Professor originate. Any ideas about which University? She does not seem to have earned it academically as there appears to be no record of academic publication. Yet if this was an honorary award then you would expect some local press/online articles about the award or at least in the Waste Management trade press. It seems really odd to use an honorary title in professional settings without making clear that it is not an earned award - especially when hearing legal cases. Or is this a CV boosting title she has invented?
2. Connection with trans lobbying organisations - why didn't she declare that she has/has had affiliations? Especially when the actions between bff/lobbying organisations are at the heart of the case. Even if she didn't realise it at the start, she must have realised the connections when letters and organisations read out? Why not speak to the judge then?
3. The strange lack of online presence - really odd for someone in her position as a "Professor" and involvement with lobbying organisations not to have been tagged in a single article or news report in several years
4. The Fibro explanation. It seems odd for her not to have spoken to the judge in advance about a medical condition that could make sitting/concentrating on case details more difficult. Surely a panel member with a disability should not have come as a surprise to the judge. Also I'm not sure whether this is NC reporting Prof Boyd's dash from the hearing room on Wednesday was mentioned in the previous thread - seems - well - suspicious.... .

.. during the evidence there was a precipitous break when I first used the phrase "men who say they're women". V soon after that there was some whispered comms between Professor Boyd and you judge and PB left the room at such speed that tho she was furthest from the door she was the first out.

If I was in that much sudden pain I had to bring legal proceedings to a temporary halt my words to the judge would have been more of a whispered "I need a break NOW" than " I have a concern".

Nick Wallis did say his account was not verbatim, so may not have been her exact words

Usually "visiting Professors" are usually professors from other Universities and/or countries that are visiting for a term/year.

If someone has industry experience only you might be called a "visiting/guest lecturer" - but its not a title you would use afterwards.

It is very dodgy to use an unearned title without making clear that it was an honorary or guest position.

Before the inevitable queue!

Did anyone in court hear what was said, by any chance?

Yes but I don't think you would reframe it as 'I have a concern' if it wasn't something similar. Summarising generally tends to work to keep the same meaning and NW has been punctilious about adding comment where something may mislead. He may not have had time to do that given today's shenanigans but I don't think he would summarise 'I need a break' or similar as 'I have a concern...' Also, those in the room have corrected or added where extracts are in play with bigger discussions and no one has corrected this although we have reports of those in the room re other aspects.

Ex-academic here: I concur with your tame academic. Using an honorary “professor” title outside of the very specific context of the place that granted the honour is so, so dodgy. And cringeworthy.

Only female journalist was BBC - lady called Bernie.

If BBC have gone from ‘identity bureau quashes everything’ to young journo blows open trans ideology judicial corruption open that would be a load of headlines!

okay my digging into deborah boyd found that she has a facebook friend in common with michelle devlin so maybe they know each other in RL

This was important.

When the Judge was being angry around noon about being disrespected by Naomi and Charlotte because they sent Simon their solicitor to deal with the delay - she said whatever happens I’m taking Michelle out from under oath. I’m not holding her over the weekend.

Except you know the law and all that. What a bummer I’m a Judge and I have do follow the law. Shucks.

It’s a trial scheduled for two weeks. If she commutes from Armagh is a few hours commuting per day, more if the weather is bad which it has been.

If she has a health condition she could have foreseen that.

I can believe it’s true that she was in pain. But I can also believe here are too many coincidences.

It sounded odd when the judge said it this morning.

I was thinking maybe they just have a different rule there as I was sure once you're under oath you remained so until you were finished.

It must have just been a "fuck you Naomi" moment from the judge.

Yes. I think it not in doubt that she has the condition and that it must be tricky to manage during an ET but that you wouldn't manage it by halting proceedings mid-flow because you 'have a concern'. You might reasonably pass a note to the J asking for an urgent break or similar.

I believe NW made a random comment sometime during the first hiatus this morning, that the BBC had been in attendance all week and that the reporting had been 'admirable'.

How.... corrupt.

I wasn’t there at the bitter end - but during most of the high drama during the day.

Naomi is a shrewd operator and little phases her. I think her call was 1995 so she’s 30 years at his game.

Judges bluster and she can deal with that. For the application we can think she might have not have had all her ducks in a row. But the balance of power in the room has changed.

And so think either Sara wins - it’s unlikely to have an appeal from BFF because they need to conserve their money to erect screens they can’t afford. Sara’s claim is £80k. An appeal will cost a wedge and they are a small co.

If Sara doesn’t win then Naomi has grounds for appeal.

So risky but not a loss.

80k is 40 bigly erections.
Someone is going to have RTFM and keep those erection costs down.

So a few thoughts -

Simon Chambers is outside Belfast (Newtownards) - https://www.russellandco.uk/staff/simon-chambers/

Sara had been to 20 layers before getting a personal recommendation for Simon.

Simon is currently representing a group of claimants who allege they were discriminated against for holding gender-critical beliefs Father Ted writer Graham Linehan among group taking legal action against Belfast pub in row over ‘gender critical beliefs’ – The Irish News.

Simon is a member of the Free Speech Union Northern Ireland Advisory Council.

He is definitely not NI establishment.

Interestingly Sara had another barrister who then retired. As JKR stepped into fund - and as she went to Scotland and supported Sandie Peggie she saw Naomi and Charlotte in action & requested them (maybe not in that order). So truly seems to be at Sara’s request.

The Environmental award probably came from these people https://www.allirelandsustainability.com/what-we-do/awards/ I think this is not a NIEA award as she doesnt seem to be on their website.

A BBC reported slipping Naomi a note isnt someone I'd rely on.

This - gender woo and gender wang crew.

They hate gender critical beliefs but when challenged can say I have gender critical friends.

Like being a racist but having one token black friend. Captured & state reliant. If you’d like my tax please treat ALL people fairly.