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Thursday, 15 March 2012

Wednesday's Events

CLEARLY, my blog was the cause of today's police activity.

One minute I was sitting penning a new post. The next, I was in the police station, having DNA mouth swabs and my fingerprints and police mugshot taken.

A compaint had been made and acted upon very swiftly indeed.

For six hours on Wednesday, it really didn't feel like England.

Grateful thanks to my superb lawyer Henri Brandman who was an immense support and wise counsel.

And to all my family and friends for your support and for your kind messages.

I vigorously deny the allegations of any wrongdoing, which seem extremely far-fetched to me.

And I will continue with my blog and my work regardless of today's events.

I will be issuing no further statement on this matter in the immediate future.

PS Scotland Yard got my age wrong again today. I am a mere 50 years old and not the prehistoric 51 they insist I am!

* Many have asked me if my house was searched on any of my property seized. The answer is no on both counts.

** I have known and dealt with Henri Brandman in a professional and personal capacity for 15 years as he was the first port of call for News International in a crisis. He is regarded as one of the most able solicitors in London.

If you need Henri's services, he can be contacted at http://www.henribrandman.co.uk/index.htm

All press enquries to me though, not Henri.



28 comments:

  1. Anonymous15 March 2012 00:24

    Welcome home Neville!

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    1. Anonymous15 March 2012 08:03

      Hi Neville

      Thinking of you in these tough times and don't stop your blog. The police hate it when people use their lawful right to free speech.

      As this is your second time of arrest I fail to see why they put you through the whole process of photos, DNA swabs etc all over again, it is such a waste of public funds. Thru only do this to intimidate the witness which is what your are due to the fact that you should be innocent until proven guilty. Although the police seem to see everyone as guilty until proven innocent.

      I find it strange that they offer immunity if you turn Queens evidence when they view you as the perpetrator! Just shows that it really must be political pressure to get back at the management of News International for exposing the political wrong doings and corruption. I find it hippocritical when the government a council have been exposed for hacking phones and email under the 'prevention of terrorism act' to see if parents are trying to blag their kids into a better school..

      Strange that the Met seem to have shopped prosecuting politicians who obtained public money by deception on their expenses since they sacked the chief constable and his deputy.

      I find it a terrible shame that the News of the World is no longer because they where the people who often exposed the wrong doing of the government And the police.

      Don't let them bully you and the police hate it when you are not afraid of them. I got arrested while on a job and it was clear they could not prosecute me but they tried everything in the book to bring a case which the CPS wouldn't touch with a barge pole. Knowing this they offered me a caution as an easy get out so they could justify their actions. I refused it because I am innocent. I am really glad I did because I would have prevented me from undertaking my current job because it gives you a criminal record. Their threats and intimidate could well have led to a lesser person who was innocent having a criminal record.

      Stand firm and chin up. You have come across very well on television. I find it deplorable that Murdoch or as he should be know as Murduck is throwing his staff to the wolves in an attemp to save his own skin instead of backing them when they took great risk in their personal safety to cover extremely dangerous stories for his financial gain over all these years. His action are that of a coward.

      I admire your resolve to take the stance that you have in the face of such adversity when faced with the commons select commity, leaverson and the might of the met police. How you will ever get a fair trial is beyond me because it would seem that the establishment are doing their very best to prejudice it at every opportunity.

      I also wonder how much police evidence or lack of it is leaked is being leaked to the media in an attempt to get a result in this case. Sorry isn't that the sort of relationship the police have with the media that Leaverson is investigating...

      I wish you all the very best in defending yourself and at least you will have a good book to write at the end of it all.

      Kindest regards

      Jamie Jones

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    2. Neville Thurlbeck15 March 2012 14:12

      Thanks Jamie. I remember you as a top photographer

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    3. Neville Thurlbeck15 March 2012 14:16

      Thanks also to the first person to post a comment. The reply button on that comment won't let me reply back for some reason!

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  2. Anonymous15 March 2012 08:10

    And Will Lewis is complaining about surveillance, invasion of privacy and libel? Funny old world.

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  3. Anonymous15 March 2012 11:18

    What a useless post. "You say CLEARLY, my blog was the cause of today's police activity" but provide no basis or explanation for this contention, leaving the reader unable to judge.

    Your then say "A compaint had been made and acted upon very swiftly indeed" without saying what the complaint was, or even whether it related to the blog.

    It's nice to know that you "deny the allegations of any wrongdoing" but without knowing what the allegations are, or the grounds on which you deny them, there doesn't seem much point in telling us that.

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    1. Neville Thurlbeck15 March 2012 17:32

      Legal reasons. Everyone else seems to understand the post.

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  4. Anonymous15 March 2012 11:27

    You seem like a decent chap to me doing a difficult job. I worked in the chemical industry for 40 years and I can assure you that what the NOTW got up to was chicken feed.
    Don't let the buggers get you down

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    1. Neville Thurlbeck15 March 2012 14:15

      I'll KBO - Keep Blogging On!

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  5. Anonymous15 March 2012 12:20

    Nils desperandum 'an all that.

    Keep the faith and keep blogging.

    Those that follow the story are aware that politics and revenge against N.I. are a key driver, particularly from the left, who are not strangers to the use of intimidation and threats to close down news channels.

    Semper Blog

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    1. Neville Thurlbeck15 March 2012 14:13

      Many thanks

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  6. angry and despondent15 March 2012 12:38

    I suspect Plod are stirring the pot trying to intimidate their targets because they know their very expensive enquiry is producing little or no result. Strange that they are only concentrating on News International staff when there's more than enough evidence that Mirror Group Newspapers and the Guardian have questions to answer on "phone hacking" and "inappropriate relationships" with police officers. Strange, also, that suspects from N.I. find themselves on never-ending police bail yet Guardian journalists investigated for corrupt relationships with coppers receive apologies from the Met Commissioner.

    The close attention given to N.I. staff - constant arrests, information leaked to the press, Assistant Commissioners giving evidence to Leveson in open proceedings while an investigation is currently ongoing, innuendo and misinformation and non-stories about particular "suspects" (fostering
    retired police horses for example)- are now looking more like Police Harassment than a Police investigation.

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  7. Kaye15 March 2012 13:01

    Hi Neville,
    Steve, Dawn and I send our best wishes and support to you. Really enjoying your blog.
    Kind regards
    Kaye

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    1. Neville Thurlbeck15 March 2012 14:10

      Thankyou for your kind words

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  8. Miguelencasa15 March 2012 13:45

    The circumstances of your, clearly, stage-managed arrest are deeply sinister. I wish you luck.

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    1. Neville Thurlbeck15 March 2012 14:13

      That's really appreciated. Thanks

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  9. JohnofEnfield15 March 2012 15:23

    Hi, sorry to hear about your mishap. We must all re-read 1984 & Animal Farm to put this into proper context. It will certainly mean that you will be able understand that it is nothing personal to you that is going on - IT IS MY FREEDOM WHICH IS UNDER THREAT.

    There are two groups of people who have amazed me by their ability to avoid the scrutiny of Leverson: -

    1. The BBC. They output around 50% of the "news" in this country. They have an agenda through which everything is filtered before I even get to hear about it (or I would hear about it if I switched them on). Are they so whiter than white that they are untouchable? At very least the presence of such a state owned monopoly distorts the market such that adequate diversity is impossible.

    2. New Labour and Alistair Campbell in particular. 'twas they who completely changed the terms of engagement twixt the Executive and the Press. All the "issues" being raised during this enquiry seem to have occurred under their watch. I watched (from a personal vantage point) the way that the NL communications advisers gathered round to deflect the legitimate concerns of the public and press over some key events.


    Why has the enquiry not addressed these groups yet?

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  10. Anonymous15 March 2012 16:01

    The police are saying that NI made corrupt payments to public officials including police officers. When are the first pc's who allegedly received such payments going to be arrested? I'm not holding my breath

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  11. Charlie the Chump15 March 2012 17:28

    Just followed a link from Guido, enjoying your informative blog, good luck and keep going

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  12. Neville Thurlbeck15 March 2012 18:05

    Many thanks indeed for dropping by

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  13. mattthetory15 March 2012 19:39

    Patience, patience. When the investigation and show trials are over; please gather together your best Journo mates who are still standing and expose all of 'their' dirty little secrets - take 'them' all down without mercy, fear or favour....politicians, police, BBC, The Guardian, The Mirror, lawyers etc. Most will have something to hide - the (very)tired UK public need examples of those in power being held to account in the same way that normal subjects are. Dig, dig, dig!

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  14. Liz Carnell15 March 2012 19:44

    Always takes courage to stand up for your beliefs and you have bucketloads of that Neville.
    Love
    Liz
    x

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  15. Neville Thurlbeck15 March 2012 19:48

    That's a very kind thing to say, thankyou

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  16. Neville Thurlbeck15 March 2012 23:31

    A person signing himself "Johnkdale" has left the following post on the Press Gazette website (http://www.pressgazette.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=1&storycode=48945&c=1)

    Hasn't the Met learnt anything from its recent history with News International? Some cry baby in Wapping makes a few little squeaks and goo-goos and the police jump about like puppets on a string. Isn't that the central issue - the excessive power and influence of News International people?

    Publishing someone's address has now become intimidation! Are they serious?
    The Met is losing the plot and making itself a laughing stock, except that this is truly frightening. It is shows no understanding of freedom of speech.
    Yes, we need regulation. We do not need a police state. This is the behaviour of people who are trying to generate fear amongst journalists. That is the first step to a police state.
    Publishing a normal adult's address may be inconvenient, often unwelcome, but how can it be a crime, especially when it is on the electoral roll?
    I have no view on Neville Thurlbeck one way or the other. Some idiot at the Met has turned him into a symbol of press freedom.
    Neville, I'm with you on this one.

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  17. Anonymous16 March 2012 11:17

    Neville, read most of your blog. Keep going mate. If you haven't already done so may I recommend having your blog hosted by overseas servers. Secondly if I were you I'd have it saved offline somewhere secure. Sadly the Britain I grew up in seems to be somewhat less free than it used to be. One more thing to thank that poisionous arse Blair for.

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  18. escapedroger16 March 2012 20:54

    I can't see any good reason why you should have to give DNA, do they really think your alleged criminality involved your bodily fluids, surely one doesn't actually lick envelopes these days. As for 'knocking up before dawn' wasn't this a trick they learned from the Gestapo? All pure intimidation.
    I once pointed out to a senior policeman that 'failing to mention when questioned something you later rely on in court'is a logical absurdity as how can an uncharged person know in the present what they may need to say in the distant future, he admitted it was purely Orwellian and designed to intimidate.

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    1. Miranda17 March 2012 12:11

      Escapedroger: As an intrepid crime-busting journalist, I'm sure Neville fully expected his DNA sample to be taken. This has, after all, been standard practice in Britain since the 1990s.

      Anyone arrested on suspicion of a "recordable offence" is swabbed - and that includes pretty well everything from murder and rape to taking a bicycle without the owner's consent.

      (Not surprisingly, the National DNA Database has steadily grown at the rate of around 30,000 samples per month and this time last year stood at over 5.5 million.)

      Someone will doubtless correct me if I'm wrong, but the distinct impression I got was that Mr Murdoch's tabloids argued strongly in favour of expanding the Database on the lines that "if you've done nothing illegal you have nothing to fear". I don't know what Neville's personal feelings were on this, of course, but perhaps he'd like to enlighten us...

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    2. Anonymous17 March 2012 20:00

      It also includes simply refusing to give your name and address to the officer.

      So the officer can question you for something irrelevant like being near a crime, then if you refuse to give him your name and address, he can arrest you, and then if you still refuse to give your name and address in the nick, you will be DNA swabbed. By this time however you will have been searched and they will know your name from your debit cards - if you say "they are not my cards" they will then nick you on suspicion of stealing someone's wallet.

      So to stay off the DNA database, you must now always give your name and address to any policeman questioning you in the street for anything, which he will record and which will also end up on a database somewhere.

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