{"id":4483,"date":"2018-11-16T09:12:55","date_gmt":"2018-11-16T09:12:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.longkeshinsideout.co.uk\/?p=4483"},"modified":"2018-11-16T09:12:55","modified_gmt":"2018-11-16T09:12:55","slug":"paddy-fox-the-uvf-and-a-missing-notebook","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.longkeshinsideout.co.uk\/?p=4483","title":{"rendered":"Paddy Fox, the UVF and a missing notebook"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Every so often I come across a story that is more compelling for the questions it raises and about what is not <\/span>included in the story. There\u2019s a whole world of journalism from the Financial Times right down to the sensational and salacious papers. \u00a0Some journalists are more concerned with the truth than others. And some journalists are concerned with the facts of a matter.\u00a0 Its important of course not to mix the two of them up. And in our wee country we know that the Irish News has its main audience in one community and the Newsletter has its audience in the other community. \u00a0Stories are often slanted to their own readerships. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 So, this Irish News story ( 30.10.2018 )is about a notebook, the police and the son of a couple (Charlie and Tess Fox) who were killed by the UVF in 1992.\u00a0 The story alleges that a police notebook was in the hands of the UVF and that the son Paddy was warned in 2004 that he was under threat from loyalists.\u00a0 The article says that a solicitor will be bringing a civil action against the PSNI. Which is much more acceptable than many of the actions taken against the police in the past. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0But questions arise. Why now?\u00a0 The story mentions an attack in October 2004 so we can assume the notebook refers to this general period? That\u2019s 14 years ago. \u00a0So where has it been all this time? And it says that the Irish News (maybe not Allison?) has just seen the notebook. The storyline certainly skirts around who has it? Big issue not addressed at all.\u00a0 And the article further states that the notebook appears<\/em> (my emphasis) to be briefing notes from a serving police officer.\u00a0 Appears? Surely a book carries the logo, \u00a0insignia or some identifying feature? Maybe some ex-policeman can reply\u00a0 with the details of police general issue notebooks.\u00a0 Are they bought out of the local newspaper shop or government issue? I don\u2019t know. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0 The biggest question, which is simply and deftly ignored, is how the notebook,\u00a0 in the hands of the UVF allegedly, ends up being shown to the Irish News. I\u2019m pretty sure that most UVF personal are not on first name terms with the Irish News staff. Or maybe they are? I don\u2019t know.\u00a0 So, would the Irish News be willing to throw some light on this? Of course, we all know you can hide behind the old, \u00a0\u201cour sources are confidential\u201d.\u00a0 Which then tends to throw up the rather current trend of fake news. Can this notebook be verified? \u00a0Do we have to trust the Irish News and the person who acquired this evidence, \u00a0in some way got the notebook from a loyalist paramilitary group? \u00a0Will the Irish News give the PSNI the information they need to find out exactly where the book was and who had it?<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0In research for this article I was looking up various webpages which was fascinating. In terms of accuracy and correctness I was quite <\/span>struck by a complaint about the Daily Mirror. A paper I loved reading in my younger days. A lady, Gillian Chapman,\u00a0 complained that an article about her killing herself was in fact quite untrue as she was quite alive. (Case ref 04343-18). Little errors are understandable. But I would tend to say that is a major one. Instead of the old Press Complaints Commission we now have the IPSO. (Set up by the newspaper industry to police itself.)\u00a0 It gives loads of cases of complaints which are either resolved or not upheld. Some breaches of the editors code actually happen and newspapers are given fines of millions of pounds. (No. They are not fined. I made that up). \u00a0Victims just get a small disclaimer on the inside pages. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Even more interesting and confusing was the case of Allison Morris,\u00a0 the Irish News, Ed Moloney and the Boston tapes. I\u2019m unclear as to what happened as the Irish news (via staff reporter- what no name?) said that IPSO had rejected a complaint from Moloney. (10th<\/span><\/sup> July 2015). \u00a0\u00a0Yet, in the blog, \u2018the Broken Elbow\u2019 \u00a0(not really for the Newsletter reading audience) the headline says that the,\u00a0 \u201cUK Press watchdog accepts the Complaint against the Irish News and Alison Morris\u201d (25th<\/span><\/sup><\/span> February 2015.) Sometimes one cannot be too critical of what one reads.\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 So, it\u2019s not so much about what\u2019s in a story. \u00a0When reading certain journalists and papers it\u2019s sometimes about what\u2019s not said. What is passed by and not covered. \u00a0\u00a0Subtly buried. But I like certainty. I rest assured that the real story about the acquiring of the notebook, real or not, will remain concealed.\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 P.S.\u00a0\u00a0 I am reminded of a certain Richard Peppiatt giving evidence to the Levenson enquiry.\u00a0 Remember that?\u00a0 I will paraphrase but he basically said that while he didn\u2019t tell any lies,\u00a0 his job was making the facts fit the story.\u00a0 The skill of a journalist today is about finding the facts but also knowing what facts to ignore.\u00a0 Or suppress if you like.\u00a0 Undoubtedly, pertinent to this story.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0 P.P.S.\u00a0 Just as light relief, and heaven knows we need a laugh now and then, \u00a0look up;\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 www.youtube.com\/watch?v=ErqQxlbNpUg. Especially\u00a0 5.31.!\u00a0 Editors are people too!<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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