Dishing Up The Goods On Jersey or, Time To Take The Trash Out

As we all know, some members of the States of Jersey and the police force are doing their damnedest to destroy the reputations of Lenny Harper and Graham Power, as well as making a mockery out of the investigation into child abuse. In order to do so, they set about ‘investigating’ the investigation utilizing several UK police forces.

The irrepressible Senator Syvret recently asked the Home Affairs Minister just how much this ‘investigating’ the investigation was costing the decent folks in Jersey. Well, to trash Lenny, Graham and the child abuse investigation, a whopping £310,000!

All of this thrashing and trashing has a much more serious consequence. Warcup and Gradwell during the infamous presser in November - tearing the investigation to shreds - have basically handed defense attorneys for those who could and should be brought to trial, an out. “The case is moot. Your top cops have said so.”

Do not forget, Warcup admitted to the press he had "ripped up evidence" from the investigation! In my opinion that smacks of being illegal, yet he still has a job!

And, what about Graham Power?

Remember, the same day of Warcup and Gradwell’s presser, Bill Ogley and Andrew Lewis set-about getting rid of Power. Power was summarily told he had an hour to decided whether to retire or be suspended immediately. Graham didn’t need an hour to think about it – his immediate answer was no and stated he would contest the actions against him.

In the assembly, Simon Crowcroft proposed the States review the suspension and disciplinary procedures used against Mr. Power. Specifically to determine whether they were correctly and lawfully undertaken. This came about after Graham issued a 12/1/08 statement to all States members. The document lays out how his suspension was illegal and an abuse of power.

The full document can be read on Senator Syvret’s blog. It’s a doozy and well worth the read!

So, the States took up this discussion yesterday and here are a few jaw-droppers!

During the Power, Ogley, Lewis meeting, Ogley took volumes of written notes. Those notes are deemed to have been heavily sanitized before being distributed as ‘minutes’ of the meeting. Power requested copies of all notes taken by Ogley as evidence of what occurred during that meeting.

Ogley destroyed them! Yup, illegally destroyed the minutes - illegally destroyed evidence! The current Home Affairs Minister even admitted he was ‘horrified’ when he learned Ogley destroyed evidence.

Well, the long-and-short of the Assembly debate to review Power’s suspension was apparently too much for the States – the proposition was thrown out!

Seems to me, Power was not the appropriate person to have been suspended – a couple of other names come to my mind!