Did Brenda Leyland Have the Right to Due Process ?

[Venturi Swirl]

I'm not wilfully misunderstanding, members of the public being concerned about what other individuals said say online is really not in the same league as using the press to put pressure on the government for inquiries into tragic events. One is  'member of the public vs another member of the public'. One is - 'member of the public vs. large public body'. So I don't see how one principal covers them. It's your insistence only, that the two scenarios should be protected by some kind of principal.

 And the prosecution idea is just my opinion with regards to people who get in a flap over 'nasty' things said on the internet. It should never be a police matter unless specific threats are made.

You ARE wilfully misunderstanding IMO - the dossier was not about one member of the public against another member of the public.  It was a compilation of dozens (hundreds?) of tweets and other social media posts made by numerous different individuals brought to the attention to the police out of (presumably) concern for the safety of a high profile couple, incidentally whose home address has been widely circulated amongst the same online group. 

What you seem to be saying is that taking your concerns to the police should be a criminal matter if the police don't view your concerns seriously.  That is utterly absurd IMO. 

[faithlilly]

Did her family take any action against Sky?
Not necessarily legal action but did they express any grievance with Sky.
If I felt a family member had committed suicide because of the behaviour of a television channel, I would certainly make my opinion known.
But perhaps the family knew her better than any of us and perhaps because she had attempted suicide before, they were aware perhaps that it was much more complex than any of us would know.

Or perhaps most individuals don’t necessarily feel it dignified to go running to the press every time they feel they have been slighted ? Perhaps they contacted Sky privately ?

[faithlilly]

Does behaviour have to be criminal before it is deemed wrong?

Isn’t that an objective opinion ? I think killing animals for their meat is wrong but it certainly isn’t criminal.

I wonder if we looked into someone supporters background we’d find the same mental health issues that beset BL? Do you think that even though they tweeted day in, day out about the calumny of Amaral’s behaviour that they’s be a danger to his wellbeing ?

[faithlilly]

So if you read continuing threatening and nasty posts against a named person who were themselves unaware of these threats, you would deem these posts as unimportant just because the person being threatened was unaware of the threats.
Just because the rules of posting on social media are so futile does not make it acceptable to post  hate!

Did BL ever threaten the McCanns ?

[faithlilly]

The people who compiled the dossier did just that - compile a dossier.  There's no law against it.  There is no law against sending it to the media, it's up to the media if they act on it.  No one held a gun to anyone's head as far as I'm aware, nor was Brenda specifically targeted but was one of dozens of anonymous tweeters, Brunt tracked down her identity himself.  What exactly are you suggesting - that concerned members of the public, who are ignored by the police, should just put up with things, as the police have the final word on all matters?  Tell that to the victims of the Hillsborough disaster, to child sex grooming gangs, and thousands of other injustices that have been highlighted by the media, forcing the police to finally get their arses in gear and act.

But that’s the point. The police had not finished their investigation.

[Venturi Swirl]

But that’s the point. The police had not finished their investigation.

What were the timings then?  When was the dossier handed in?  When was it handed to Sky?  When did the police inform the dossier compilers that they won't taking any action? 

[faithlilly]

I believe BL was in conversation with Martin Brunt on twitter.    He was not to know she was mentally delicate,  on the contrary she sounded by her tweets to be a very confident woman.   Her tweets were among those others that were taken from the internet.   Martin Brunt no doubt knew BL and where she lived.   Its a journalists job to confront people,  he was doing his job.   It is very unfortunate that he chose BL to confront as unknown to him she was mentally ill.   Martin Brunt said he was devastated by her death.   BL didn't have to take Martin Brunt into her home,  she didn't have to converse with him at all.   When asked why she was sending her tweets she replied 'I have a right to' or similar words,  she could have just left it at that.   BL made it quite clear in the area where she lived her views on the McCann's.

When did Brunt start conversing with BL ? Was it after the dossier had been handed to him ?

[Lace]

How many members of the public have been doorstepped for tweeting by Sky News? I don't think it's typical of how Sky news work.

re. the dossier, the police found no crimes to prosecute, doesn't really matter if it seemed 'creepy' does it?  If someone specifically threatens you, that is a crime which the police will prosecute.

I have no idea how many members of the public have been door stepped for tweeting.    You don't understand do you,   these people were stalking the McCann's,  finding out where they went and what they did.   It only takes one person to decide to carry out a threat that had been tweeted about on line.

[Lace]

When did Brunt start conversing with BL ? Was it after the dossier had been handed to him ?

No before.

[Venturi Swirl]

I have no idea how many members of the public have been door stepped for tweeting.    You don't understand do you,   these people were stalking the McCann's,  finding out where they went and what they did.   It only takes one person to decide to carry out a threat that had been tweeted about on line.

I think it was Richard Bacon who made a whole TV programme about confronting a specific troll who had relentlessly targeted him.  That was above and beyond doorstepping if I recall.  They had a meeting in which the troll was very contrite (I think, I may have made this last bit up, relying on memory).  I suppose Bacon would have been vilified for naming and shaming had the troll then gone on to kill himself. 

[faithlilly]

No I am certainly not saying that what Brenda did is on a par with Hillsborough, I am talking about a princple, the freedom to go to the press with your concerns when the police seem disinterested - it is then up to the media whether they do anything with the information.  If you have a beef it seems to be with Sky, not the person or people who compiled the dossier, unless you think the act of sending information to the media about activities to the press whether technically illegal or not should be outlawed?

And if BL had been charged ? Don’t you think vilifying her on rolling news would have jeopardised any resulting court case ?

[Lace]

Did BL ever threaten the McCanns ?

BL belonged in a group who threatened and stalked the McCann's,  they boasted there were thousands in their group.

BL was also one of the tweeters who drove a young girl from twitter,  they said she was one of the nannies.  BL tweeted 'I bet she's scared now we know her address'   she also tweeted that the young woman was a prostitute,  I won't say what other nasty accusations she made about her.   Did BL care that this girl was probably scared that some of them would turn up at her address?

[faithlilly]

Oh please.  If you're going to pretend the media didn't print outright lies about the McCanns  is there really any point in even continuing this discussion with you?

Once again your beef appears to be with the media (not the dossier compilers), who you seem to believe should treat everyone with kid gloves unless their targets have a high powered lawyer, political support, a bucket of cash and PR firm on hand.  This would no doubt be welcomed by those cowboys and shysters who get doorstepped by programmes like Watchdog, certainly.

Do you agree with Sonia Poulton’s doorstepping of Kate and if not, why not ?

[Robittybob1]

But that’s the point. The police had not finished their investigation.

Did she leave a note saying why she did it?

[Venturi Swirl]

And if BL had been charged ? Don’t you think vilifying her on rolling news would have jeopardised any resulting court case ?

How was she vilified exactly?  What nasty things did Martin Brunt say about her?  You could of course use the same argument about the media who vilified the McCanns, to the power of 100.  Which is worse - internet troll or child neglecter / body occulter?