JERSEYS' TWO FACED COPS

Dear Readers, 

         Being unfamiliar with that picturesque island of 

MIKE BOWRON

Jersey in the Channel Islands I thought the States of Jersey Police(Moto: Making Jersey Safer) would be very helpful in my efforts to unravel the circumstances surrounding the death of my son Simon Abbott.

How wrong I was. Simon, who had lived on the island for 20 years, died last year aged 47. All the indications are that the heart attack that killed him was brought on by the stress of being relentlessly cyber-bullied in the last two years of his life (See my post did-cyber-bullies-kill-simon-abbott)

Here I was sitting in South Africa, half a world away thinking that Police Chief Mike Bowron would be the right person to contact.

         Simon’s problems began after he set up the Samantha Abbott Trust in memory of his sister to help women suffering from postnatal depression. This was what caused Samantha’s suicide in 2009.

         He had plenty of unusual charity, money making ideas, but it seems that because he had never done this kind of thing before his inexperience resulted in one failure after another. After his first few schemes didn’t work the following ones had no chance because by then the island’s cyber-bullies had warned everyone off by accusing of him being a con man without any evidence to support this allegation.

        

NORTON

The best known names among the bullies were Murray Norton a BBC Jersey Radio presenter for many years and a substantial charity fund organiser. His bullying partner was his freelance photographer friend Ian le Sueur, who was also a member of the National Union of Journalists. He arranged for Le Sueur to snatch a picture of Simon, which Le Sueur then used to further malign Simon on social media by calling him a con man and making out he was generally dishonest.

SHADY LE SEUER

         Norton’s boss Jon Gripton, the Managing Editor of Radio Jersey had this to say about my son, We investigated some of the ‘Simon Abbott saga’ – however we decided against broadcast, partly because we were advised that the States of Jersey Police was investigating and partly because we thought this was more likely a tragic story of a grief-stricken, well-meaning individual who ultimately couldn’t deliver the events he dreamed up.

          Below is part of a letter sent in July this year to Bowron by Rico Sorda one of Jersey’s many anti- establishment blogggers (ricosorda.blogspot.com)                
       

                                                                          

          He and particularly his wife have been getting the same kind of cyber-bullying treatment as my son got. The bully in this case is Jon Sharrock Haworth, a 44 year old convicted petty criminal who has been used by the establishment to do its dirty work. He now appears to be protected game. Here's the gist of one episode revealed in Britian's parliament because Jersey's Data Protection law prevented it from being disclosed on the Island.

SYVRET A FORMER MINISTER OF HEALTH WAS
FORCED OUT OF THE JERSEY PARLIAMENT
FOR GETTING TOO CLOSE TO EXPOSING THE
SKULDUGGERY OF SOME TOP PEOPLE

         As you will see from my earlier experience with Bowron which I will tell you about below he runs true to form protecting certain people connected to Jersey’s elite. Sorda got much the same dismissive treatment from Bowron as I got.  

ANOTHER EXTRACT FROM SORDA'S LETTER
TO BOWRON

               In an email I sent in October last year I put six questions to Bowron and he replied through his Deputy Barry Taylor.

         He confirmed that Simon had made two complaints to the Police about being cyber-bullied, but legal opinion was that no offence had been committed. He refused to name the individuals Simon claimed to be involved as he maintained I am unable to provide details of third parties to you under the Data Protection Law.

         This is a notorious piece of legislation that the authorities in Jersey use to cover a multitude of sins.

         At one stage it was given to me by an ambulance official as a reason why he couldn’t name the paramedics who had attended to my son when he collapsed at a café.

JERSEY MINISTER PRETENDING TO TAKE CYBER-BULLING
SERIOUSLY LAST YEAR

WHERE DOES THE ‘TWO FACED’ ASPECT COME IN YOU MAY ASK. DON’T WORRY I’LL GET TO THAT SHORTLY

         Taylor confirmed that my son had complained to the police about being assaulted and having his cell phone stolen. But he refused to name the person Simon named presumably because of that secrecy law. There were no independent witnesses so nobody was prosecuted.

         The fifth question I put to Bowron was: Did Simon ever complain to you personally about being cyber-bullied or assaulted? If so what action did you take?

         Taylor answered: Your son did introduce himself to Mr Bowron on one occasion in St Helier (the capital of Jersey) town centre when he gave Mr Bowron one of his business cards. Mr Bowron has no recollection of Simon discussing these particular matters with him.

         In my replying email to Taylor I said: Mr Bowron comes across as extremely vague for Jersey’s most senior policemen. What reason could Simon possibly have had in handing Mr Bowron his business card other than to get him to investigate Simon’s cyber-bullying allegations and perhaps also the assault incident? People don’t walk up to the Chief of Police just for the hell of it and say: ‘Wouldn’t you like my business card?’ without a very good reason.

JERSEY POLICE SAYING IN OCTOBER LAST YEAR THAT THEY
WOULD HELP CYBER-BULLY VICTIMS

         In my final question to Bowron I asked if Le Sueur, who has a business called Kandidprints was ever an honorary policeman.

         In keeping with the very unhelpful nature of his replies Taylor stated that as the States of Jersey Police was independent of the Honorary Police that operated in each of the 12 Parishes in the Island they had no details of these officers.

         My comment to him was: This makes the Jersey Police akin to the Keystone Cops. Are you telling me that the Honorary Police are so independent from your Force that you would be unable to establish if a particular person is, or was an Honorary policeman by merely picking up the phone.

         I wanted to know if Le Sueur, who Simon sued for libel together with Norton and various others in relation to cyber-bullying, had any Police connection because if so it appeared that this was why he was getting favourable treatment.

LE SUEUR EXPOSED

         He was also the person Simon claimed had assaulted him.

         That was my Bowron experience. He certainly seems to have adapted well to the entrenched code of secrecy that pervades the Island to protect those with influence. He was previously head of the City of London Police where I’m sure this kind of behaviour would have made headlines had it existed.

IT WAS WHEN THE BBC CAME CALLING ABOUT SIMON’S ACTIVITIES THAT BOWRON’S COPS PUT ON THEIR OTHER FACE AND CONVENIENTLY IGNORED THAT DRACONIAN DATA PROTECTION LAW.

         Around the middle of last year I appealed to the BBC Trust against a decision made by its senior executives to dismiss my complain that Norton had cyber-bullied my son. As part of this appeal the BBC appointed an unnamed, so called Independent Editorial Adviser to look into the matter. I was given the adviser’s findings to comment on.

         The Adviser reported that the Jersey Police were asked if there had been any police investigation into Simon, his charitable affairs or his allegation of cyber-bullying made against him. Instead of telling the Adviser that this could not be disclosed under the Data Protection Law the Police replied:

         Between September 2009 and December 2012 Mr Abbott made a number of complaints (5) to the States of Jersey Police, and a similar number (6) were made against him by various people, some of which related to concerns about financial handling of charity affairs, as well as harassment-related complaints made both by and against him.

         Charges were not brought against any individual. In general this was owing to a lack of evidence regarding criminality and it included those concerns relating to financial dealings.

         Investigations into allegations that Mr Abbott was a victim of cyber-bullying and/or harassment were reviewed by legal advisers and it was determined that there was no evidence of criminality.

         There is no specific offence in Jersey relating to cyber-bullying but we would look at whether the activity constituted harassment. For the purposes of this Article a person ought to know that his or her course of conduct amounts to harassment of another person if a reasonable person in possession of the same information would think it amounted to harassment.

         The BBC’s Adviser reported that Le Sueur had been a member of Jersey’s Honorary Police since April 2012.

         But one of the most sinister aspects of the report was this: The Police statement will be provided to the Committee (the people hearing my appeal) but it has not been shared with the parties to protect the privacy of the individuals referred to.
        That showed just how 'independent' the BBC's Adviser was. No wonder they wouldn't tell me his name.

        So the Two Faced Cops evidently disclosed a lot more to the BBC, with names as well, than the Corporation was prepared to let me see.   

         

                                                                                                

The Police conveniently ignored examples of harassment by both Norton and Le Sueur that complied perfectly with the definition of the law. And the proof was there for all to see on social media.

         Here are a couple of examples:

Norton: I have pretty much run out of patience with this guy. I’ve met him, tried to help him and he has even had the cheek to complain to the BBC that I’m harassing him. The Police and the press and possibly the taxation authorities must be sent all the complaints with hard evidence that Simon has actually done something wrong if they are to do something. In Surrey, where his late sister lived, the local Sutton newspaper is tracking him and have been in touch. In Devon the press are following him. I got this the other day. Damien Mills: Hi! I’m a journalist in Exeter where Simon Abbott it staging another of his infamous fashion shows. Give him a shout and tell him your stories and concerns.

         My concern is his constant appealing to the ‘wannabe’ mentality of young girls asking for models for events that do not exist. I will once again ask Jersey Police if they have any further thoughts on him.

         Simon, if you are reading this, which my friends he might be, give it up, come clean on the finances of the Trust, put the items you claim to have from the famous to good use. I’ll auction them for some people in real need, instead of fake events that help no-one, even those of us trying to raise funds.

THAT CAN’T POSSIBLY BE CALLED HARASSMENT CAN IT?

         It was perhaps no coincidence that Norton had a reputation as Jersey’s top charity fund organiser and was best known for coordinating the annual Jersey Charity Auction which he had done since 1984. This was broadcast live on BBC Radio Jersey.

         In addition he had been a Radio Jersey presenter for many years and was the owner of two restaurants on the Island. So he was an entrenched personality who the Police would be unlikely to go against on the basis of a complaint from a nobody like my son.

         In court documents Simon claimed that Stop the Con Simon @NOTJERSEYFASHION was set up by Le Sueur. I know this, he stated, because he sent me an email by mistake saying he was the driving force behind the group of trolls. If someone Tweets anything positive about the Samantha Abbott Trust @NOTJERSEYFASHION will tell them not to help. He will Tweet ‘Question his past bullying actions’; ‘Discrepancies in the account’ (Yet he has never seen them); ‘Being investigated by Devon & Cornwall Police and Jersey Police’ (This is not true) and ‘Simon Abbott con artist and serial duper.’

         ‘Fashion Juice @Fashion_Juice is Ian le Sueur because of the same comments and because the picture that was taken of me in the church was put on this profile. Again he posts libel comments and has tweeted to dozens of celebrities telling them not to support the Samantha Abbott Trust.

THAT CAN’T POSSIBLY BE CALLED HARASSMENT CAN IT?

         When the BBC’s adviser asked Le Sueur if he had put the photograph of Simon, that he snatched in a church at Norton’s behest, on social media he said he could not remember.

         Le Sueur’s Norton connection plus his close association with the Police no doubt ensured his immunity from prosecution in this case.

         Jon, a member of the Clean Up Jersey's Dirty Policing campaign.

CYBER WOLVES HUNTING SIMON ABBOTT

Dear Readers,

This is Part 2 of an extensive investigation that will hopefully help to one day make cyber-bullying a criminal offence in every civilised country in the world.

NOBODY SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO DIE THIS WAY 

There’s lots more to come so keep looking at my Blog

         Cyber wolves do what wolves do everywhere; they hunt in packs. And the one in the Channel Island of Jersey (See my posts Did cyber-bullies kill Simon Abbott? & Where have all the children gone?) led by BBC Radio Jersey presenter Murray Norton was no exception.

The joke's on NORTON now

         So when Norton the alpha male and his second in command photographer Ian Le Sueur decided to up their cyber-bullying campaign against my son Simon Abbott they got together to ambush him at a church in St Helier, Jersey’s capital.

LE SUEUR, cyber-bullying is not a pretty picture



         And Le Sueur stated in an email that Murray Norton asked me to go along with the camera.


BREAKING: 30/10/2013 Norton announced on his 9-12 radio slot that this would be his last day for the foreseeable future.

         In documents that were lodged in Jersey’s Royal Court Simon described what happened. Murray Norton said he heard from people that I was dishonest, which I am not, so I said I would meet him at St Thomas Church, a private place, and not to tell anyone where we were meeting and that I would bring along Trust documents.

         These were from the Samantha Abbott Trust which Simon had set up in memory of his dead sister to raise money for women suffering from postal natal depression. Norton and his cronies had been doing their best to destroy the Trust by posting numerous social media comments claiming that Simon was only collecting money for himself and was giving nothing to charity - allegations which were totally unfounded.    

         I took along evidence of the authenticity of the clothes donated to the Trust including Leona Lewis’ dress, Simon continued.

         Miraculously he had got a host of top celebrities to donate items of clothing which he had planned to auction at his Jersey Fashion Show. But this never took place because of all the adverse comments on Facebook and Twitter.

SIMON on TV to promote his Trust

         Norton agreed not to mention where we were meeting at 10.00 am on Thursday, Simon went on. At 9.45 that morning I received a phone call from Jeremy Philips at the Police warning me that Norton had posted on Facebook where we were going to meet and the time, and that there could be a ‘lynch mob’ waiting for me.

         I rang Norton and asked what the hell he was doing posting this on Facebook. He said he had made a stupid mistake and later removed this. But it was too late as everyone on Facebook knew where we were meeting and the time.  

         I asked Murray who was at the church and he said ‘No one’. I then made my way to the side entrance. There was a group of about eight people on one street corner, another group of about five on the other side of the street and some people outside the church including a Policeman in uniform and I believe other plain clothed Police.

         He saw Norton in the car park just as he was phoning him to find out where he was. The two of them then went into the church and sat as far as possible from the entrance in the empty building.

         Norton asked Simon a number of questions some of which he said yes to and others where people had posted libellous comments he said no to.

         As they were leaving the church there was a flash of light from a group of people across the road. Simon darted back inside the building and asked Norton who the people were who had taken a picture of him. Norton at first said he didn’t know and then, when Simon asked him again he said it was Le Sueur.

         You just said you didn’t know who it was and now you say it’s Le Sueur, Simon told him. Norton replied that he had brought Le Sueur with him to prove they had met otherwise nobody would believe him.

         I told Norton not to put my picture anywhere, especially on the internet, Simon wrote. I later found out Le Sueur was inside the church taking pictures of me which he has now put on the internet causing me stress and anxiety.

SIMON in the church

         After the meeting Simon claimed Norton continued with comments on his personal profile wall saying no one would ever trust me and that I should hand over to him all the donations from the celebrities, raffle and auction prizes too, and he would auction them off on BBC radio and give the money to 10 of his chosen charities, worthwhile charities unlike the Samantha Abbott Trust

         Simon added, I didn’t give in to his demands and still have ALL the donations.

         As there was no evidence to support the libellous claims even Le Sueur concede in an email about Simon that there is nothing there (on social media) to suggest to us, that other than circumstantial evidence, he has, or is out to cause harm to anyone he befriends. The email was one he sent to somebody called Kelly as part of their efforts to prevent unsuspecting people falling foul of Simon Abbott.

         The snatched photograph Le Sueur took of Simon was then put on Twitter to enable other members of the pack to recognise Simon when he left his home so that he could be harassed even more on social media. And that was one of the reasons why he was too scared to leave his home unaccompanied in the months before he died in June this year.

         On 6 February 2012 Simon sent a desperate email to his advocate William Grace saying Ian le Sueur has spent the whole weekend spamming Twitter with my picture saying I’m a con man, conning items out of celebs and duping people out of hard earned money.

         Le Sueur had been hiding his identity behind the profile name Fashion_Juice.

Even on his own KADIDPRINTS website
 LE SUEUR is too ashamed to show himself

         I refuse to let this go on a minute longer and am requesting you to send him a letter on Monday please, otherwise I will be sending him a letter, Simon’s email continued.

         We worked out that his tweets will have been seen by over 500 000 people now. He is a sick, vile piece of scum taking a picture of me in St Thomas Church and spreading it across the internet as a con man etc. Enough is enough, I have put up with it for a year and Monday it stops. 

         WHAT’S YOUR OPINION OF THIS DEAR READER? IF YOU ARE PERFECTLY FIT AND ARE SUBJECTED TO THIS KIND OF DEPLORABLE CYBER-BULLING WOULDN’T IT AFFECT YOUR HEALTH?     AND IF YOU ALREADY HAVE A HEART PROBLEM WOULDN’T IT TIP YOU OVER THE EDGE?

         Regards,

         Jon, Simon’s father who is having great difficulty in coming to terms with what happened and the incredible fact that on a tiny island the authorities did nothing to stop his son being cyber-bullied to death over a period of two years or more. 

P.S. Note that I am not ‘Anonymous’ and nor am I hiding behind a false name like so many of the cyber-bully cowards do in Jersey.